The Pentagon on 4/3 released a video, reportedly filmed from a US submarine's periscope, showing the Iranian navy's IRIS Dena frigate operating in the Indian Ocean. Seconds later, a large explosion erupted, creating a huge water column that lifted the Dena's stern high, causing the warship to break apart and sink into the sea.
This was the moment a US fast-attack submarine fired an Mk 48 torpedo, sinking the Dena, a 1,500-ton frigate of the Iranian navy, according to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
This incident marks the first time a US submarine has torpedoed and sunk an enemy vessel since World War II. It also represents the first US attack on Iranian forces outside the Middle East since the conflict erupted on 28/2.
Moment a US submarine launches a torpedo at Iran's IRIS Dena warship off Sri Lanka on the morning of 4/3. Video: US Department of Defense
During a Pentagon press conference on 4/2, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated that the Dena frigate was sunk in international waters in the Indian Ocean.
Modern heavy anti-ship torpedoes like the Mk 48 are designed for maximum damage by striking targets deep below the waterline. The explosive force from the Mk 48 torpedo's nearly 300 kg warhead is powerful enough to lift a warship and twist its hull, potentially breaking it in half and causing it to sink rapidly.
The Dena was returning to Iran after participating in the Milan naval exercise with India in the Bay of Bengal from 18-25/2. The vessel sent a distress signal in the early morning of 4/3 from waters approximately 40 km south of Galle port in southern Sri Lanka.
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Iran's IRIS Dena frigate. *Photo: Indian Navy*
Less than an hour later, a Sri Lankan rescue vessel reached the site where the Iranian warship encountered trouble, but the Dena had already sunk completely, leaving only an oil slick.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath stated that the Dena had a total of 180 crew members. The Sri Lankan Navy rescued 32 sailors and recovered over 80 bodies, with the remaining crew still missing.
The IRIS Dena was an Iranian Moudge-class frigate, developed from the Alvand-class. These are among the most modern and powerful surface warships in the Iranian navy's possession.
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Location of the sunken Iranian warship off Sri Lanka. *Graphic: Anadolu*
Alvand-class warships and similar Iranian variants have also been targeted by US forces in the ongoing "Operation Terrifying Fury." The Pentagon reported that at least 20 Iranian warships have been attacked and neutralized.
Recent retaliatory strikes between the US, Israel, and Iran have resulted in at least 1,045 deaths in Iran. The clashes have also claimed at least 17 lives in Israel, Kuwait, and several other Middle Eastern countries.
Vu Hoang (According to AFP, Guardian, TWZ)
