A major naval incident in the Indian Ocean has intensified regional tensions after a U.S. submarine reportedly sank an Iranian warship near the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Authorities confirmed that 87 bodies have been recovered while 32 crew members were rescued, following the sinking of the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena.
The warship, carrying about 180 personnel, went down outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, prompting a large-scale rescue operation by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Torpedo Strike Reportedly Sank the Warship
According to U.S. officials, the ship was destroyed by a torpedo launched from an American submarine. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Pete Hegseth described the Iranian vessel as a key asset in Tehran’s naval fleet.
He stated that the attack occurred while the ship was operating in international waters in the Indian Ocean.
“This was one of Iran’s most prominent naval vessels,” Hegseth said, adding that the strike demonstrated the expanding scope of the ongoing military confrontation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
Officials noted that submarine attacks resulting in a warship sinking remain rare in modern warfare, with few comparable incidents reported since World War II.
Sri Lanka Launches Emergency Rescue Operation
Sri Lankan authorities said they received a distress signal from the IRIS Dena shortly before it disappeared from radar.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that naval vessels and aircraft were immediately dispatched to the area.
However, by the time rescuers arrived, the ship had already sunk. According to navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath, only oil slicks and floating life rafts were visible at the site.
Search teams eventually located survivors floating in the water, along with bodies scattered across the sea.
Survivors Receiving Treatment in Galle
The rescued sailors were transported to hospitals in Galle, where medical teams began treating them for injuries.
Health officials reported:
- One survivor remains in critical condition
- Seven individuals are undergoing emergency treatment
- The remaining survivors are being treated for minor injuries and trauma
Bodies recovered from the sea are being transported to medical facilities in Galle, where authorities have established a temporary mortuary under heavy security.
One of Iran’s Newest Warships
The IRIS Dena was considered among the newer vessels in Iran’s naval fleet. The warship was equipped with:
- Heavy naval guns
- Surface-to-air missile systems
- Anti-ship missiles
- Torpedoes
- A helicopter deck for maritime operations
The vessel had recently been seen in the Bay of Bengal during the International Fleet Review in India in February 2026, highlighting its role in regional naval diplomacy.
Escalating Conflict in the Region
The sinking of the Iranian warship comes amid an expanding conflict involving the Donald Trump administration’s military operations against Iranian military assets.
U.S. officials say weakening Iran’s naval capabilities is a key objective of the current campaign.
According to Brad Cooper, at least 17 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed during the ongoing hostilities.
Analysts warn that the conflict’s expansion into the Indian Ocean could threaten critical international shipping lanes used for global oil and trade.
Investigations into the exact circumstances of the sinking are ongoing as search teams continue to look for additional survivors.
