At least 140 people have been reported missing after a United States submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, according to official statements and naval sources in the region.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the incident, explaining that an American submarine carried out the strike by launching a torpedo at the vessel.
“In the Indian Ocean, we sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”
He did not reveal the identity of the ship involved in the attack.
However, the Sri Lankan Navy had earlier announced that the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena sank off the coast of Galle in the Indian Ocean.
The warship was believed to have around 140 personnel on board at the time it went down, and all of them are currently listed as missing.
The incident represents a major escalation in the already fragile regional tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
In a separate development, Israel announced that it launched new strikes targeting what it described as “security headquarters” in Tehran as part of its continuing air operations within Iran. Residents in the capital have reported worsening living conditions amid the ongoing bombardment.
Meanwhile, a three-day funeral ceremony for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, which was scheduled to begin in the evening, was postponed due to the intensifying attacks.
The conflict also appears to be extending beyond Iran’s borders. Israeli forces reportedly launched strikes in Lebanon, including an attack that struck a hotel belonging to a Lebanese businessman.
Additional reports indicated that fresh attacks believed to have originated from Iran were recorded in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Turkey also stated that “NATO defences” intercepted and shot down an Iranian missile.