Iranian sailors recover in Sri Lanka after US attack

Iranian sailors rescued from a torpedo attack on an Iranian warship are recovering in a hospital in southern Sri Lanka after a strike that killed dozens and left many others missing, authorities said Thursday.

The attack targeted the IRIS Dena, an Iranian naval vessel operating in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Sri Lankan officials said at least 87 bodies were brought to the National Hospital in Galle after military rescuers responded to an early-morning distress call from the ship on Wednesday.

Search and rescue operations were continuing for around 60 sailors who remain missing, according to navy sources.

A total of 32 survivors were rescued and taken to hospital with mostly minor injuries. Doctors said the sailors were expected to recover and could be discharged soon.

Security was tight at the hospital, where police guarded the ward housing the rescued sailors while medical staff continued treatment and monitoring.

The United States Department of Defense said the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that a torpedo sank the Iranian warship.

“An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that believed it was safe in international waters,” he said during remarks at the Pentagon.

According to the Pentagon, video footage of the incident shows a large explosion striking the rear of the vessel, severely damaging it and causing it to sink from the stern.

The strike took place hundreds of miles from the Persian Gulf, highlighting how the conflict involving Iran has expanded into wider parts of the Indian Ocean.

The United States and Israel have been conducting strikes against Iranian targets, while Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks.

Analysts say the sinking of the Iranian warship marks a significant escalation, as naval forces are now directly involved far from the main theater of the conflict.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada