(Image source from: News.am)
An Iranian frigate, known as the IRIS Dena, is reported to have been sunk after being attacked by a submarine near the southern shore of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. According to the news agency Reuters, over 101 individuals are unaccounted for and 78 have been injured, with 32 of them in serious condition. The IRIS Dena is a Moudge-class frigate that was on its way back to Iran after taking part in the MILAN 2026 multinational naval drills in Visakhapatnam, India. Earlier, Sri Lanka's foreign ministry announced that the military had saved 32 individuals from the sinking Iranian vessel. Dr. Anil Jasinghe, a senior official from the health ministry, mentioned that one person is critically ill, seven are being treated for emergencies, and the rest have minor injuries. "Currently, we know that 79 individuals were rescued and taken to the hospital, with one severely injured. Another 101 are thought to be missing and the ship has gone down," a source from the Sri Lankan navy informed Reuters.
The sources also indicated that one of the hospitalized individuals has passed away. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath informed Parliament that Sri Lanka's navy was alerted about the distress of the IRIS Dena, which had 180 people onboard, prompting the island nation to dispatch ships and planes for a rescue effort. The Sri Lankan navy has located "a few bodies" belonging to Iranian sailors after crew members reported an explosion, as stated by a spokesman on Wednesday. "We have discovered a few bodies from the location where the ship sank," local navy spokesperson Buddhika Sampath told reporters in Colombo, further noting that the search for others is ongoing. On the fifth day of the conflict, the US and Israel launched several airstrikes on Tehran and other cities. Israel focused on the Iranian leadership and security personnel, while the Islamic Republic launched missile attacks and drone strikes on Israel and nearby areas.
The situation quickly intensified following a coordinated airstrike campaign that started on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The US and Israel have targeted nearly 2,000 sites throughout Iran, including nuclear plants, air defense systems, ballistic missile launch sites, and residences of leaders. In response, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz and initiated missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, as well as US military locations across the Gulf, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE.
