Naval strike marks major escalation in US–Iran War
International Desk :
The conflict between the United States and Iran has escalated sharply, with developments stretching from the Indian Ocean to Tehran and raising fears of a prolonged and widening war.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine carried out a torpedo strike on an Iranian warship sailing in international waters off Sri Lanka’s southern coast late on Tuesday.
The vessel, identified by Sri Lankan authorities as the Iranian frigate Iris Dena, sank after being hit by what defence sources said were two torpedoes.
Hegseth described the operation as the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo since the Second World War. More than 80 people were reported killed.
Sri Lankan Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara said 83 bodies had been recovered, while 32 crew members were rescued and taken to hospital in Galle.
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said the coastguard received a distress call at 5.08am on Wednesday.
The ship was located approximately 44 nautical miles off the southern city of Galle, outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone. Colombo dispatched naval vessels in line with its obligations under international maritime conventions.
A senior Sri Lankan official indicated that the Iranian embassy in Colombo had conveyed, through diplomatic channels, its belief that the vessel was deliberately targeted. Tehran has yet to issue a formal public statement on the incident.
The strike marks a significant expansion of hostilities, representing the first confirmed US attack on Iranian military assets outside the Middle East since the current war began.
The main US naval base in the Indian Ocean, Diego Garcia in the Chagos archipelago, lies more than 1,000 miles from Sri Lanka.
The naval confrontation follows joint US–Israeli air strikes on Iran over the weekend that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials. Iranian authorities have reported extensive damage to ballistic missile and air defence systems.
In response, Iran has launched missile strikes across parts of the Middle East and announced a halt to all shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit corridor.
The exchange of strikes entered a fifth consecutive day on Wednesday, with Israel carrying out further attacks in Tehran.
Attention has now turned to the question of succession in Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of the late supreme leader, is widely reported to be a leading candidate to assume the post.
No official announcement has been made, and Iranian media report that funeral arrangements for Ali Khamenei have been postponed, reportedly for logistical reasons and amid security concerns.
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a senior cleric and member of the Assembly of Experts — the 88-member body constitutionally responsible for appointing the supreme leader — said the selection process was nearing conclusion but was taking place under wartime conditions. A simple majority of the assembly is required to appoint a new leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei, born in 1969, studied theology and later rose to prominence within conservative political and security circles. He is believed to have strong backing from elements of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
His potential elevation is seen by many analysts as signalling policy continuity rather than a shift towards accommodation with the West.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has publicly warned that any successor who continues Iran’s current strategic direction would be considered a target.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Iran’s leadership in stark terms earlier this week, underscoring the deepening rhetorical and military confrontation.
Regional leaders have reacted cautiously. Sri Lanka’s President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, expressed solidarity with the United Arab Emirates following reported Iranian retaliatory strikes, stating that Sri Lanka stood ready to assist.
With maritime security under strain, oil routes disrupted and leadership uncertainty in Tehran, the conflict shows signs of broadening both geographically and strategically.
Diplomats and analysts warn that absent de-escalation, the war risks entrenching instability across the Middle East and beyond.
