Several Iranian sailors are recovering in a hospital in southern Sri Lanka after surviving a deadly U.S. submarine strike that sank an Iranian naval warship in the Indian Ocean. The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The warship, identified as the IRIS Dena, was reportedly struck by a torpedo launched from a U.S. submarine while sailing in international waters near the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The vessel had been returning from a multinational naval exercise in India when it came under attack.
According to Sri Lankan authorities, the strike caused catastrophic damage to the frigate, which quickly sank after the explosion. Rescue teams responding to an emergency distress call recovered dozens of sailors from the surrounding waters. The injured survivors were transported to the National Hospital in Galle for treatment.
Medical officials reported that at least 32 sailors survived the attack and were admitted for treatment, mostly suffering from injuries such as fractures, burns, and trauma sustained during the explosion and subsequent rescue operations.
The attack was far more devastating for many others aboard the vessel. Authorities say around 87 sailors were killed, while several crew members remain missing as search-and-rescue operations continue in the waters south of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Launches Major Rescue Effort
The rescue operation was carried out by the Sri Lankan Navy after receiving the early-morning distress call from the Iranian vessel. Although the incident occurred outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, the area falls within the country’s international maritime search-and-rescue zone, obligating it to respond.
Sri Lankan naval ships and aircraft were dispatched immediately to the scene, where crews found debris, oil slicks, and life rafts floating in the ocean after the warship had already sunk. Survivors were pulled from the water and taken to safety before being transferred to medical facilities.
Hospitals in Galle tightened security around the injured sailors, placing them in a separate ward while doctors and nurses provided emergency treatment. Most survivors were reported to have non-life-threatening injuries and were expected to recover.
Rising Tensions in the Iran War
The sinking of the IRIS Dena highlights the widening geographic scope of the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The strike occurred thousands of kilometers from the Persian Gulf, demonstrating how the war is increasingly affecting maritime routes across the Indian Ocean.
Iranian officials condemned the attack, calling it an act of aggression carried out in international waters. Meanwhile, U.S. defense officials described the operation as part of a broader military campaign aimed at weakening Iran’s naval capabilities.
The incident has also drawn attention from regional governments. Sri Lanka has emphasized that its actions were purely humanitarian, focused on rescuing survivors and providing medical care regardless of the broader geopolitical tensions.
As recovery operations continue and diplomatic tensions rise, the attack on the IRIS Dena stands as one of the most dramatic naval incidents in the rapidly expanding Iran conflict.
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