Iran: 104 sailors killed in US submarine attack on warship off Sri Lanka
2026-03-08 - 22:12
The Iranian military disclosed devastating casualty figures Sunday from a US submarine attack on one of its warships, revealing that 104 sailors aboard the IRIS Dena lost their lives in the March 4 strike. According to the state news agency IRNA, the army confirmed that the vessel was attacked by the US Navy in waters off Sri Lanka as it was returning from participation in the Milan Peace 2026 naval exercises in India. US confirms torpedo attack Washington has acknowledged that an American submarine launched a torpedo attack on the Iranian vessel, though it has not commented on the casualty figures released by Tehran. The attack represents one of the most significant naval engagements since the US-Israeli offensive against Iran began, dramatically expanding the conflict's geographic scope to the Indian Ocean region. Sri Lanka responds to distress call Sri Lankan authorities confirmed they launched a joint rescue operation after receiving a distress signal from the stricken warship off the southern coast of Galle city. Officials reported that 32 wounded crew members were rushed to a local hospital for treatment, while the fate of those killed has been confirmed by Iranian military sources. The Sri Lankan government's humanitarian response highlights the regional ripple effects of the widening confrontation. Conflict continues to expand The naval attack occurred against the backdrop of ongoing large-scale US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran that began Feb. 28, which have reportedly killed more than 1,200 people including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and wounded over 10,000 others according to Iranian authorities. Tehran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, Iraq, Jordan, and Gulf countries hosting American military assets. The sinking of the IRIS Dena marks a significant escalation in the maritime dimension of the conflict, raising concerns about the safety of commercial shipping and the potential for further naval confrontations across the region's strategic waterways.