- By Chetna Shree
- Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:09 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The United States sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. At least 87 sailors were killed, while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities. The vessel had left India only a few days ago after participating in the International Fleet Review.
US Submarine Sinks Iranian Frigate Near Sri Lanka Coast
A US submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian frigate, with the United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming the attack. During the briefing, Hegseth said that an American submarine sank an Iranian warship "that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death."
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Timeline Of Iris Dena
- The Indian Navy welcomed IRIS Dena on February 16 after it arrived in the country to participate in the multilateral naval exercise, Milan 2026.
- In a social media post, the Eastern Naval Command described the visit as a reflection of the “long-standing cultural link” between India and Iran.
- The ship departed India on February 28 and was outside the Indian territory when it was sunk by the US submarine.
Iran-Israel-US War
The attack comes against the backdrop of a US-Israel coordinated attack on Iran, which also led to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran began targeting Israel and US military bases across the Middle East.
ALSO READ: Jaishankar Talks To Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Amid War In Middle East
US Submarine Strikes Iranian Warship
As tensions continued to escalate, the US submarine on March 4 torpedoed and sank an Iranian frigate off the Sri Lanka coast, with the United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirming the attack.
The IRIS Dena was one of Iran's newest warships, a Moudge-class frigate designed for the Iranian Navy. It was armed with guns, missiles, and torpedoes, and patrolled both coastal and open waters.
According to a report, the Sri Lankan Navy received a distress call from the ship at 5:08 AM on March 4. The frigate had 180 people on board at the time.
Condemning the attack, Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said that IRIS Dena was hit “without warning,” adding that "the US will bitterly regret the precedent it has set".