A US submarine fired a torpedo that sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, marking a significant escalation in hostilities as the Trump administration purportedly follows through on its threats to eliminate Tehran's military and political leadership. The attack has raised immediate questions about potential breaches of international law, with former US officials criticizing the move as military overreach.
At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the strike on the frigate Iris Dena, which was sailing in international waters after participating in a naval exercise hosted by India. Pentagon officials, led by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, confirmed the sinking and released black-and-white footage of a Mark 48 heavyweight torpedo hitting the vessel—a rare instance of a submarine sinking a ship since World War II and an attack on a foreign warship not engaged in open hostilities.
Sri Lankan authorities reported receiving a distress call from the Iris Dena early Wednesday morning, with crew members describing an explosion. Rescue efforts saved 32 people, but emergency responders retrieved 87 bodies from the water, and the frigate had already sunk, leaving only an oil slick. The ship was located 44 nautical miles off Galle, within Sri Lanka's economic zone but outside its territorial waters.
The incident coincides with a fifth day of US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran, with Washington officials allegedly warning of impending attacks on targets deeper within Iranian territory. The conflict has paralyzed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, choking off vital Middle Eastern oil and gas flows, while Turkey reported that NATO air defenses intercepted an Iranian missile presumably aimed at the Incirlik airbase.
Former US Air Force targeting expert Wes Bryant condemned the attack on the Iris Dena as illegal, arguing the warship posed no imminent threat and was merely transiting home from training exercises. This action, he claimed, sets a dangerous precedent for military escalation. Iranian officials, via back channels to Sri Lankan authorities, asserted that the ship's defense systems were disabled by electromagnetic means before being hit, suggesting a coordinated US strike.
Source: www.theguardian.com