US strike sinks Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, 32 rescued

A U.S. military strike sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast, triggering a major rescue operation in which Sri Lanka’s Navy saved 32 sailors and recovered several bodies, according to U.S. and Sri Lankan officials.

Three U.S. officials told Reuters today (March 04) that the Iranian vessel was hit in a strike carried out by the U.S. military. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the attack was launched by a U.S. military submarine.

The strike led to a distress call from the vessel, prompting Sri Lanka’s armed forces to begin a search and rescue mission in the Indian Ocean waters off the country’s coast. Sri Lankan authorities confirmed that 32 people had been rescued so far, while several bodies were recovered from the sea.

Sources within Sri Lanka’s Navy and the Defence Ministry said the ship had been attacked by a submarine and that at least 101 people were missing in the incident. The attack reportedly took place off Sri Lanka’s Indian Ocean coastline.

However, a Sri Lanka Navy spokesman denied that 101 people were missing and rejected reports about the cause of the ship’s sinking. Defence sources in Sri Lanka also said it remained unclear who had attacked the vessel.

The strike comes as part of the ongoing U.S. military campaign against Iran. U.S. strikes targeting the Iranian Navy are described as a central part of the war launched by the United States on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the U.S. military’s United States Central Command said it had already sunk 17 Iranian warships and was on track to destroy Iran’s entire navy.

(Courtesy: Reuters)