Tehran vows repercussions after US sinks Iranian frigate off Sri Lanka

DUBAI - The US struck Iranian frigate Dena, a guest of India's navy  carrying almost 130 sailors, in international waters without warning, Iran's  foreign minister said on X on Thursday.

"The US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set," Abbas Araqchi said.

The incident, confirmed by US officials, marks a significant expansion of the war beyond the Middle East, drawing in international waters near Sri Lanka and raising concerns about global maritime security.

The Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was reportedly struck by a torpedo from a US submarine while returning from a naval exercise hosted by India in the Bay of Bengal. 

The exercise, which took place from February 18 to 25, involved multinational participation, and the Dena was described by Araqchi as a "guest of India's Navy". The attack occurred approximately 2,000 miles from Iran's shores, in what Iran claims were international waters without any prior warning.

Araqchi’s rhetoric underscores Iran's view of the incident as an unprovoked aggression, potentially violating international maritime norms and the UN Charter.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed the incident during a Pentagon briefing, confirming that a US submarine had indeed sunk the Iranian warship. 

Hegseth described the strike as the first direct US naval attack on an enemy vessel since World War II, emphasizing that the Iranian ship "thought it was safe in international waters" but was targeted as part of broader military operations. 

He framed the action within the context of the escalating war, stating that the US is "accelerating, not decelerating" its efforts against Iran, with additional assets being deployed to the region.

The sinking has already prompted rescue operations, with Sri Lankan forces reporting the recovery of 32 sailors from the wreckage, many of whom were wounded. 

The location off Sri Lanka's coast highlights the war's rapid spread, now encompassing areas far from the initial flashpoints in the Middle East. This development comes amid a broader conflict that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, followed by Iranian retaliatory attacks on US bases in the Gulf, Israel, and other allies.

Analysts suggest this incident could further strain diplomatic relations, particularly with neutral parties like India, which hosted the naval exercise. The US justification appears tied to viewing the Dena as a legitimate target in the ongoing campaign, but Iran's warnings of "bitter regret" signal potential for asymmetric responses, including cyber operations, proxy attacks, or further missile strikes.