Headlines
Exclusive-US carried out strike on iranian warship off sri lanka coast, officials say
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 4, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 4, 2026
Quick Summary
The US military, via a submarine, struck and sank Iran’s frigate IRIS Dena approximately 40 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s Galle coast on March 4, 2026. Sri Lankan forces rescued 32 injured sailors and recovered bodies; over 100 remain missing amid ongoing search efforts.
Exclusive-US carried out strike on Iranian warship off Sri Lanka coast, officials say
US Strike on Iranian Warship: Details and Aftermath
By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart
Incident Overview
WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. military carried out a strike that sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka's coast and triggered a rescue for dozens of Iranian sailors by Sri Lanka's navy, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
Execution of the Strike
One of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said the strike was carried out by a U.S. military submarine.
Rescue Operation
The U.S. strike triggered a distress call and the Sri Lankan armed forces launched a search and rescue operation. Sri Lankan authorities said they had rescued 32 people so far and recovered several bodies from the sea.
Conflicting Reports and Uncertainty
Statements from Sri Lankan Authorities
Sources in Sri Lanka's navy and defence ministry said the vessel had been attacked by a submarine and at least 101 people were missing in the incident that took place off Sri Lanka's Indian Ocean coast.
Disputed Claims
The defence sources said it was unclear who attacked the ship.
A Sri Lankan navy spokesman said the report of 101 people being missing was not true and rejected any reports on the cause of the ship sinking.
Broader Context of US-Iran Conflict
U.S. strikes on Iran's Navy is a central part of the war against Iran, launch by the United States on Saturday.
US Military Statements
On Tuesday, the U.S. military's Central Command said it had already sunk 17 Iranian warships and was on track to destroy Iran's entire navy.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •The warship IRIS Dena, a modern Iranian Moudge‑class frigate, sank after a suspected US submarine torpedo strike in international waters off Sri Lanka, amid the broader US‑Israel campaign against Iran (en.wikipedia.org).
- •Sri Lankan Navy and Air Force launched a rescue operation, evacuating 32 critically wounded sailors to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle, while search operations continue for over 100 missing crew members (defensemirror.com).
- •The incident represents a substantial geographic escalation in the Iran‑US‑Israel conflict, marking one of the most significant naval losses for Iran and expanding hostilities into the Indian Ocean region (en.wikipedia.org)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Exclusive-US carried out strike on Iranian warship off Sri Lanka coast, officials say
1Who confirmed the US strike on the Iranian warship?
Three US officials confirmed the strike to Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
2Where did the US military strike occur?
The strike took place off the coast of Sri Lanka.
3How was the strike on the Iranian ship carried out?
One US official stated it was carried out by a US military submarine.
4What actions did Sri Lankan authorities take?
Sri Lankan authorities rescued 32 people from the ship and recovered several bodies from the sea.
