Sri Lanka is facing a delicate diplomatic crisis after a US submarine torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near the southern port city of Galle. The attack occurred within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone and killed at least 87 Iranian sailors, leaving survivors and bodies to be handled by the island nation. Reports say the United States has urged Sri Lanka not to repatriate survivors from the sunken warship and also asked Colombo not to send back the crew of another Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Booshehr, which is currently in Sri Lankan custody.

The United States military has struck a massive Iranian drone carrier during the escalating naval conflict under Operation Epic Fury. According to U.S. Central Command, the vessel — described as roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier — was hit by American forces and left burning at sea. The strike comes as the United States intensifies operations against Iran’s naval fleet amid the wider conflict involving Iran, the U.S., and Israel. CENTCOM officials say the campaign has already destroyed or sunk more than 30 Iranian warships.