A US submarine sank an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 sailors, as the conflict between the United States and Iran escalates beyond the Middle East. The Pentagon confirmed that the USS fired a Mark 48 torpedo at the Iris Dena late Tuesday night, sinking the vessel in international waters 44 nautical miles south of Galle.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the attack was a 'quiet death' and the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo since World War II. The frigate was returning from a naval exercise hosted by India in the Bay of Bengal when it was struck. Sri Lankan authorities rescued 32 crew members from the water, with navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath stating that the ship had already sunk by the time rescue boats arrived, leaving only an oil slick.
The incident occurred as US and Israeli air strikes on Iran continued for a fifth day, with Washington warning of attacks on 'deeper' targets. The US also targeted pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, while Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it would continue missile and drone strikes across the Middle East. Turkey reported that Nato air defences intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards its airspace, likely aimed at the Incirlik airbase.
The conflict has paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for five days, disrupting oil and gas flows. The UN said at least 100,000 people have fled Tehran since the war began. Former US targeting expert Wes Bryant called the sinking of the Iris Dena illegal, arguing the warship was not an imminent threat as it was transiting home after a training exercise.
