American military forces have eliminated over 20 Iranian naval vessels and damaged Tehran’s primary operational submarine during an ongoing military campaign designed to neutralize Iran’s maritime forces, according to U.S. officials who spoke Wednesday. The operation included a U.S. submarine using torpedoes to sink an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean waters near Sri Lanka.
The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was destroyed as U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that Iranian naval forces have been effectively removed from crucial regional waterways. Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads CENTCOM, announced in a video update shared on X earlier Wednesday that Iranian vessels were absent from the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman as of Tuesday.
American officials confirmed that U.S. forces have eliminated more than 20 Iranian ships during the campaign and have also damaged Tehran’s most capable submarine, creating a breach in its hull.
According to Cooper, American forces will maintain their focus on Iran’s naval resources through Operation Epic Fury. This military campaign seeks to eliminate Tehran’s capacity to menace commercial vessels and reduce its missile strike capabilities.
“We’re hunting Iran’s last remaining mobile ballistic missile launchers to eliminate, what I would characterize as their lingering launch capability,” Cooper stated.
Tehran operates dual naval forces: the Islamic Republic of Iran navy, which handles traditional maritime duties, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, which specializes in unconventional warfare tactics.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth verified that an American submarine used torpedoes to destroy the IRIS Dena in waters near Sri Lanka during the military operation.
“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth announced during a Pentagon press conference. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”
Hegseth characterized the attack as a “quiet death,” noting it marked the first occasion since World War II that American forces had destroyed an enemy vessel using torpedo weapons.
“Their navy, not a factor. Pick your adjective; it is no more.”
Sri Lankan naval authorities reported Wednesday that they had retrieved 87 bodies and saved 32 survivors following their response to an emergency signal from the vessel. According to Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Vijitha Herath, who addressed Parliament, approximately 180 crew members were aboard the ship when it sank.
Sri Lankan officials initiated search and rescue operations after receiving the distress transmission, according to AP reports. Maritime vessels and aircraft were sent to the location.
Naval spokesperson Buddhika Sampath confirmed that survivors received medical treatment at a hospital in Galle, a southern coastal city, while recovered bodies were being transported to shore.
