At least 87 people were killed after a US submarine attacked and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean near the southern coast of Sri Lanka, officials said.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine carried out the strike, describing the Iranian vessel as a legitimate military target. The incident represents a major escalation in naval tensions in the region.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament that about 180 personnel were on board the Moudge-class frigate IRIS Dena when it sank roughly 40 nautical miles from the island’s coast. The ship reportedly sent out a distress signal before going down.
Authorities said 32 people had been rescued, while several bodies were recovered. Survivors were taken to a government hospital in Galle for treatment. Rescue efforts by the Sri Lankan navy and air force were ongoing, though officials said only an oil slick was visible at the site and no other vessels or aircraft were observed nearby.
The warship had recently participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 in India and had stopped at Visakhapatnam before beginning its return journey.
The sinking follows another reported US action in which an Iranian corvette was destroyed in the Strait of Hormuz close to Iranian territory.
Before Washington confirmed responsibility, Sri Lankan officials had said the cause of the sinking was unclear and emphasized that their priority was rescue operations. The confirmation that the strike was carried out by the United States marks a sharp rise in tensions with Iran.
