"The frigate Dena, which was visiting the Indian navy and carrying nearly 130 sailors, was attacked in international waters without any warning," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X today. "The US has committed a brutal crime in waters 3,200 km from Iran."

Araghchi's statement referred to the US Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Charlotte launching a Mk 48 torpedo on 4/2, sinking the Iranian navy warship IRIS Dena off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The incident killed at least 87 sailors.

This marked the first time a US submarine launched a torpedo to sink an enemy military target since World War II. It was also the first time the US attacked an Iranian target outside the Middle East since the outbreak of hostilities.

"Mark my words: The US will bitterly regret the precedent it has set," the Iranian foreign minister stated.

The Iranian navy frigate IRIS Dena during a joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman in 3/2024. Photo: AFP

Sri Lankan officials reported recovering 32 surviving sailors from the Dena. These sailors were unaware their ship had been hit by a torpedo, recounting the ship sinking "after a loud explosion" without knowing its cause.

According to a senior official from Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health, one rescued sailor is in critical condition, 7 others received emergency treatment, and the rest sustained minor injuries.

IRIS Dena was one of Iran's newest warships, equipped with heavy artillery, anti-aircraft missiles, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes. The ship also carried a helicopter. The US Department of the Treasury had imposed sanctions on this vessel in 2/2023.

Former US Navy Colonel Thomas Shugart suggested the Dena likely lacked the technology to detect and destroy submarines. Operating alone in the Indian Ocean without any protective forces, it became an easy target for the US submarine.

Location where the Iranian warship sank off Sri Lanka. Graphic: Anadolu

At least 20 Iranian naval vessels have been sunk or neutralized in the ongoing conflict, according to the Pentagon.

The US and Israel launched a war on 28/2, targeting Iran's leadership, missile stockpiles, and nuclear program, while also hinting at a government change in Tehran. However, the specific objectives and timelines for the operation have constantly shifted, suggesting this could be an open-ended conflict.

Over 1,000 people in Iran, over 50 in Lebanon, and about a dozen in Israel have died since the conflict began. The United Nations reported that in the first two days of the war alone, 100,000 people were displaced from Iran's capital, Tehran.

Huyen Le (According to AP, AFP)