A United States submarine sank an Iranian naval frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday, marking the first U.S. attack on Iranian forces outside the Middle East during the ongoing regional conflict. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike during a White House press conference.

The Iranian warship IRIS Dena was carrying 180 crew members when it was struck by a U.S. submarine torpedo in international waters near Sri Lanka's southern coast. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said the country's navy rescued 32 survivors from the sinking vessel, who were subsequently hospitalized.

Reports on casualties vary significantly among sources. Some outlets report at least 101 people missing, while others cite different figures for confirmed deaths and those still unaccounted for. Sri Lankan naval crews have reportedly recovered bodies from the wreckage site.

The incident has left an oil slick and debris field in the Indian Ocean where the frigate sank. Sri Lankan authorities described finding life rafts and other evidence of the vessel's destruction as rescue operations continued.

Sri Lankan officials indicated they are also monitoring another Iranian ship in the area, though details about this second vessel remain limited. The attack represents a significant escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran beyond the traditional Middle Eastern theater of operations.