(Bloomberg) — A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in international waters, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, marking the first time since World War II that an American sub had attacked a surface vessel.
Sri Lankan authorities said the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena sank on Wednesday off the coast of Sri Lanka, with 32 sailors rescued and more than 100 missing or dead.
The ship signaled early Wednesday that it was in distress and requested assistance, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told lawmakers in parliament. He didn’t give details of how the vessel, which had 180 people on board, sank.
Navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath said rescued crew members were taken to a hospital in the southern Galle district. Sri Lankan Navy found an oil patch and life rafts upon arrival at the location, he added.
The US Navy has about 50 nuclear-powered attack submarines in three classes, Los Angeles, Virginia and Seawolf. Because of their nuclear propulsion and design, all are extremely quiet — intended to tail enemy vessels without being detected. It was not clear which submarine fired the torpedo.
US subs are typically armed with Mk48 heavyweight torpedoes, which carry 650 pounds of explosive meant to detonate beneath a target’s keel, snapping it in two.
The revelation of the sinking comes amid an escalating conflict between Iran and US and Israeli forces. The fighting has shown no signs of abating five days after it erupted, with both sides continuing to exchange air strikes and missile fire.
Iranian naval ships often dock at foreign ports including in India, as part of long deployment. The IRIS Dena was in India in February to participate in the International Fleet Review, alongside vessels from 40 other countries including US and Russia.
Sri Lanka’s navy spokesperson said technical experts will need to determine the cause of the vessel’s sinking. The focus remains on search and rescue operations, he said.
Several bodies, believed to have come from the vessel based on wind patterns, were also found, Sampath said. The search operations have been expanded in the hope of finding more survivors, he added.
On Tuesday, Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the country has received requests from shipping lines to store containers en route to ports affected by the Middle East conflict.
–With assistance from Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Gerry Doyle.
(Adds US confirmation in paragraph 1, submarine background in paragraphs 5-6)
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