Iranian warship was sailing home from India exhibition when U.S. sank it
PBS • • world
Key Points:
- Sri Lanka's navy responded to a distress signal from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena but found only oil patches and sailors in the water; rescued crew were hospitalized in Galle.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the U.S. sank the IRIS Dena during a military operation against Iran, describing the ship as a "prize ship," while Iran condemned the attack as an "atrocity at sea."
- The IRIS Dena had recently participated in the International Fleet Review and the MILAN 2026 naval exercise hosted by India, which involved 74 countries; Iran emphasized the ship was a guest of India's navy.
- Another Iranian vessel has entered Sri Lanka's exclusive economic zone,
