US Department of War on Wednesday released a video of the Iranian ship, which sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka after being hit by a Torpedo. US said that the torpedo struck the ship’s stern, and the explosion left the frigate flinging in air.
The vessel was identified as IRIS Dena, according to Sri Lankan foreign minister Vijitha Herath. At least 80 people were killed and nearly 150 people were missing after the torpedo struck ship.
In the video, a torpedo can be seen hitting the ship leading to a major blast and the ocean, after which the ship starts sinking.
United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed that a US submarine had sunk the Iranian warship “IRIS Dena” with a torpedo hit.
“Yesterday, in the Indian Ocean, an American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death.” He further said that this is the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II.
Officials said the navy received a distress call from the Iranian ship and launched a search and rescue operation with the support of the Sri Lankan air force in the Indian Ocean off the island’s coast.
Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy said it had rescued 30 sailors from “IRIS Dena”, which was in distress with around 180 sailors onboard. There was a distress signal from the vessel, approximately 40km (25 miles) off the coast of Sri Lanka in Galle, south of the capital, Colombo.
Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed that the rescued sailors were taken to Karapitiya Hospital for medical attention.
Meanwhile, in Washington DC, Pete Hegseth confirmed that more bombers and fighter jets were entering the theatre of war on Wednesday as Operation Epic Fury continues.
“We are just getting started. We are accelerating, not decelerating. Iran’s capabilities are evaporating by the hour, while American strength grows fiercer, smarter and utterly dominant,” he was quoted as saying.