The IRIS Dena was torpedoed off the coast of Sri Lanka on Monday, the US Secretary of War said, confirming earlier reports.
A US submarine sank an Iranian naval warship in the Indian Ocean on Monday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said. Earlier media reports indicated that the IRIS struck Dena, about 40 nautical miles from the southwestern Sri Lankan city of Galle, with the Sri Lankan Navy rescuing dozens of crew members.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hegseth said Iran had the vessel “It is thought to be safe in international waters.”
“Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. A quiet death,” Hegsate issued a statement saying that the incident took place in The “First sinking of enemy ship by torpedo since World War II.”
On Wednesday, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said that her country had first received a distress call at 5:08 AM, sending two navy ships immediately to assist the Iranian ship.
“Thirty people who needed urgent help were immediately rescued. They were admitted to the hospital in Karapitiya, Galle.” The diplomat added.
About 180 people are believed to have been at IRIS Dena at the time of the attack.
Sri Lankan Navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath told reporters that rescuers have recovered several bodies suspected to be the crew of the Iranian warship.
Last Saturday, the US and Israeli militaries launched massive air strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior Iranian commanders, followed by more strikes. The Islamic Republic has retaliated by firing a barrage of drones and missiles at Israel, as well as US and UK military facilities across the Middle East.
Russia has condemned the assassination of Khamenei, as President Vladimir Putin described it “A cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”
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