What Is Minuteman III? US Tests Nuclear-Capable ICBM ‘Doomsday’ Missile

5th March 2026 at 1:35 PM

1 minute read

New Delhi : Seyed Abbas Aragchi, the foreign minister of Iran, condemned the US for striking the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in international waters. He called the incident an “atrocity at sea,” noting the vessel had been visiting the Indian Navy and carried about 130 sailors. Aragchi warned that Washington would “bitterly regret” setting such a precedent, accusing the US of attacking without warning far from Iran’s shores.

This was the first sinking of an enemy ship by torpedo by the US since World War II. The incident occurred as the frigate, a small warship, was returning from joint naval exercises in India. The IRIS Dena, a frigate-class warship, participated in the Milan International Fleet Review in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to 25, where it was welcomed by the Indian Navy. It was returning from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and was targeted in international waters.

The Sri Lankan Navy has rescued approximately 30 sailors from the IRIS Dena so far, with the survivors being brought to Karapitiya Hospital in the southern port city of Galle for medical attention. This was seen as a major escalation after Israel and the US launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, taking out its top-tier leadership, including Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Iranian authorities described the vessel as one of the country’s “prize ships” and condemned the action as an act of aggression. Meanwhile, rescue operations were launched by the Sri Lanka Navy after the vessel issued a distress call in the Indian Ocean. According to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, naval ships and air force aircraft were dispatched early in the morning to locate survivors from the sinking frigate.