At least 140 personnel have been reported missing after a United States submarine sank an Iranian naval vessel in the Indian Ocean, according to official statements and regional naval sources.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike, stating that an American submarine targeted and destroyed the warship with a torpedo. “In the Indian Ocean, we sank an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” he said. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.” He did not disclose the specific name of the vessel involved.
However, the Sri Lanka Navy earlier reported that the Iranian naval ship IRIS Dena went down off the coast of Galle. The frigate was said to have approximately 140 crew members on board at the time of the incident, all of whom remain unaccounted for.
The sinking marks a significant escalation in the already volatile standoff involving the United States, Israel and Iran, raising concerns over broader regional instability.
Separately, Israel announced fresh airstrikes on what it described as “security headquarters” in Tehran, as part of ongoing military operations within Iranian territory. Residents in the capital reported worsening humanitarian conditions amid sustained bombardment.
A three-day funeral ceremony for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, which had been scheduled to commence earlier in the evening, was postponed due to the intensifying strikes.
The conflict appears to be extending beyond Iran’s borders. Israeli forces reportedly carried out strikes in Lebanon, including an attack that hit a hotel owned by a Lebanese businessman. Additional reports indicated that fresh attacks believed to have originated from Iran were recorded in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Turkey also announced that NATO defence systems intercepted and shot down an Iranian missile, further underscoring the widening geographical scope of the confrontation and heightening fears of a broader regional conflict.
