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.

A US submarine has reportedly sunk an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, according to US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon says the submarine launched a torpedo that struck the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena while it was sailing in international waters. Sri Lankan authorities say the ship had around 180 crew members on board. At least 32 sailors were rescued while more than 80 bodies have been recovered so far. US officials say the strike marks the first such torpedo attack on an enemy warship since World War II. The incident comes as tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran continue to escalate, raising fears that the conflict could expand beyond the Middle East.