After hours of inconclusive information, confirmation came from the United States Government. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on March 4 that his country's submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka. At least 87 people died and 32 were rescued. Previously, a spokesperson for the Asian country's Navy stated that the news was not true and rejected any information about the cause of the shipwreck. How did the events occur? We address it.
First modification: 03/04/2026 - 16:25 Last modification: 03/04/2026 - 21:48
“First sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II”
In a press conference from the Pentagon headquarters, this Wednesday, March 4, US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, stated that the incident occurred when a torpedo was launched from a US submarine against an Iranian warship, which sank.
The events took place in the waters of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Sri Lanka, said Hegseth, who showed a video that he claims belongs to the time of the attack.
"In the Indian Ocean, an American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo: Silent Death," the Pentagon leader stressed.
Although Hegseth did not name the attacked ship, Sri Lankan authorities previously identified it as IRIS Dena.
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Hours before Hegseth's statements, the facts seemed confusing, since while sources from the Sri Lankan Navy and the Ministry of Defense of Sri Lanka indicated that the ship was attacked by a submarine and that at least 101 people were missing, a spokesperson for the Sri Lankan Navy told the Reuters agency that the news about the disappearances was "false" and rejected any information about the cause of the sinking.
Finally, the United States takes credit for what happened and emphasizes that it was the first attack of this type by its forces since World War II.
It is "the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II. Just like in that war, when we were still the War Department, we fought to win," Hegseth remarked.
Read alsoOn maps: this is how the escalation spreads across the Middle East after the US and Israeli attacks against Iran
180 people on board, more than 80 dead and 32 rescued
As the hours pass and rescue operations progress, the Sri Lanka Navy reports that it has recovered 87 bodies from the sea after the US attack. Previously, Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister stated that at least 80 people were killed in the attack on the frigate IRIS Dena, which was returning to Iran from a port in eastern India.
The Iranian ship had participated in a naval exercise held in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to 25, according to that operation's website.
The Sri Lanka Navy explained that it received a distress call from an Iranian ship and informed the Sri Lankan Air Force, whose military began a search and rescue operation.
The ships that arrived at the scene initially did not sight the ship and only observed an oil slick, said Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath.
Sri Lankan forces also did not then observe any other ships or aircraft in the area of the incident, he added.
But later, the Navy reported that 32 people were rescued by its soldiers. The people found alive were taken to a hospital in the port city of Galle, in the south of the country.
Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told his country's Parliament that 180 people were on board the Iranian ship, which he also identified as the IRIS Dena.
"We hope to be able to rescue more people and will continue operations until we are safe," the Navy added.
Read alsoIranian revolutionary guard threatens “total destruction of the military and economic infrastructure of the region”
US expands attacks against Iran beyond the country's borders
Hegseth boasted Wednesday that the attack occurred against an Iranian ship that believed to be safe in international waters. And indeed, the United States and Israel are expanding their attacks against the Islamic Republic not only within their borders, while continuing to strike with air strikes throughout the country.
The sinking of the Iranian ship came as the two allies intensify their bombing of Iranian security forces and other symbols of power, forcing Tehran to postpone the appointment of a replacement for Ali Khamenei, as well as his funeral.
But the Islamic Republic counterattacks US targets in the Middle East, specifically military bases and diplomatic headquarters, although countries like Qatar also reported the interception of missiles at an international airport, which, in turn, increases the fury of these nations against Iran. Turkey, a NATO member country, assured this Wednesday that the alliance's defenses intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards its territory and warned that it reserves the right to respond.
The war may also continue to escalate after this March 4, the Revolutionary Guard, through state television, issued a statement in which it threatened the “total destruction of the military and economic infrastructure of the region,” indicating that the war is far from over and could extend longer than expected.
Read alsoIn images: from the Minister of Defense to Khamenei, senior Iranian officials killed in joint attacks
With Reuters and AP
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