Iranian Warship Sunk by US Sub Off Sri Lanka, Killing 87 as Middle East Conflict Expands
A U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, leading to the deaths of 87 sailors. The Pentagon confirmed the incident, which marks a significant escalation in the Middle East conflict, now spreading beyond the immediate region with reports of Iranian Revolutionary Guards targeting groups in Iraq and new Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon.
On March 4, 2026, a U.S. Navy submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena (75) approximately 20 nautical miles south of Galle, Sri Lanka, in international waters of the Indian Ocean. The attack resulted in 87 confirmed deaths out of the 180 crew members aboard, with Sri Lanka's navy rescuing 32 survivors and recovering bodies from the scene. U.S. Secretary of War (Defense) Pete Hegseth confirmed the sinking during a Pentagon briefing, describing it as the first enemy warship torpedoed by the U.S. since World War II and part of Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran's navy.
The IRIS Dena was returning from India's MILAN naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, which concluded on February 25, 2026. Sri Lankan officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemachandra and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, reported the incident occurred beyond territorial waters. The Sri Lankan navy responded to a distress call, finding oil slicks, life rafts, survivors, and bodies but no sign of the vessel itself. Periscope footage released by the U.S. shows a Mk 48 heavyweight torpedo striking the stern of the Iranian frigate.
During the same briefing, Hegseth announced the sinking of another Iranian ship, IRIS Shahid Sayyad Shiraz (Soleimani-class), in the Strait of Hormuz, indicating a broader escalation of U.S. military pressure on Iran. He described Iran's navy as "combat ineffective" and vowed continued and intensifying military operations against Iranian forces.
The incident represents a significant expansion of the Middle East conflict beyond the immediate region, with the U.S. conducting naval operations in the Indian Ocean. Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN provided coverage of the event through a YouTube video detailing Hegseth's Pentagon briefing, though no specific reports were found from other major Philippine outlets like GMA, Inquirer, or Philstar in available search results. The sinking marks a major escalation in U.S.-Iran hostilities that have been building through previous strikes on Iranian ships and joint operations targeting Iranian missile systems.
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