Iran has acknowledged the loss of its military frigate Dena, which was in international waters of the Indian Ocean when it was “unprovokedly” attacked by the United States, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He stated that the US would "bitterly regret" the "crime" it committed.
“The United States has committed a crime at sea, 2,000 miles from Iran’s coastline. The Dena frigate, which was visiting India’s navy, with nearly 130 sailors on board, was attacked in international waters without warning. Remember my words: the US will bitterly regret the precedent they have set,” Araghchi wrote on social media platform X.
On March 4, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset confirmed that an American submarine struck the Iranian frigate Dena off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, in international waters of the Indian Ocean. The number of people on board ranged from 130 to 180. Sri Lankan media reported that 87 people were killed in the strike, 32 were rescued, and 60 are still missing.
Earlier, General Bradley Cooper, head of the US Central Command, stated that the US had sunk 17 Iranian military ships, including a submarine. “Today, there are no Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Gulf of Oman, and we won’t stop there,” he added.
Meanwhile, on March 5, a "massive explosion" occurred on an anchored tanker off the coast of Kuwait, resulting in an oil spill. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the crew was unharmed, but the incident could have serious environmental consequences.
The incident occurred amidst the ongoing US-Israel military operation against Iran, which began on February 28. Iran has retaliated with strikes, including on US bases in the Gulf countries, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has blocked the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
