The IRIS Dena was torpedoed off the coast of Sri Lanka on Monday, the US secretary of war has said, confirming earlier reports

A US submarine sank an Iranian Navy frigate in the Indian Ocean on Monday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said. Earlier media reports indicated that the IRIS Dena was struck about 40 nautical miles off the city of Galle in southwestern Sri Lanka, with dozens of crew members rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hegseth said the Iranian vessel had "thought it was safe in international waters."

"Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death," Hegseth stated, adding that the incident marked the "first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II."

On Wednesday, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said his country had first received a distress call at around 5:08 AM, with two navy ships being immediately dispatched to assist the Iranian vessel.

"Thirty persons in need of urgent help were immediately rescued. They have been admitted to the Karapitiya Hospital in Galle," the diplomat added.

Around 180 people were believed to be on board the IRIS Dena at the time of the attack.

Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Buddhika Sampath told reporters that rescuers had recovered several bodies that are suspected to be personnel of the Iranian warship.

Last Saturday, the US and Israeli militaries launched massive airstrikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a number of senior Iranian commanders, with more attacks since. The Islamic Republic has retaliated by firing barrages of drones and missiles at Israel, as well as US and UK military facilities across the Middle East.

Russia has condemned the killing of Khamenei, with President Vladimir Putin describing it as a "cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law."

(RT.com)