A reported naval confrontation in the Indian Ocean has intensified tensions between Iran and the United States, after an Iranian warship was allegedly sunk during a submarine strike.
According to defense officials in Washington, a U.S. fast-attack submarine targeted the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, striking it with a Mk-48 torpedo near the waters off Sri Lanka. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the operation, describing it as a major naval engagement and the first known U.S. submarine torpedo strike to sink an enemy vessel in decades.
The Moudge-class frigate, which reportedly carried about 180 crew members, sank shortly after the strike. Sri Lankan rescue teams responded to the incident and pulled several survivors from the water while recovering dozens of bodies. Authorities said a number of crew members remain unaccounted for.
Reports indicate the vessel had been returning from the multinational MILAN 2026 Naval Exercise hosted in India when the incident occurred in international waters.
Meanwhile, a second Iranian vessel believed to be a logistical support ship requested emergency docking in Colombo, citing technical problems with its engines. Sri Lankan authorities granted limited access to the ship while coordinating humanitarian assistance for its crew.
Officials in Colombo said the decision was made in accordance with international maritime conventions, as the country seeks to maintain neutrality while managing the unfolding situation in its surrounding waters.
The incident comes amid escalating military tensions involving Iran, the United States, and their regional allies, raising concerns among analysts that the conflict could increasingly extend beyond the Middle East into wider international waters.
Iranian authorities have warned that any attack on their naval assets will be met with a response, signaling the potential for further confrontation at sea.
