'Quiet death': Pete Hegseth shows video of US submarine sinking Iranian warship off Sri Lankan coast

The United States military reportedly carried out a strike ​that allegedly sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka's Indian Ocean coast and triggered ‌a rescue for dozens of Iranian sailors by Sri Lanka's navy, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Mar. 4, 2026.

One official who wished to remain anonymous alleged that the strike was carried ⁠out by a U.S. military submarine.

Distress call, rescue operation

Following the U.S. strike that triggered a distress call, Sri Lankan armed forces ​launched a search and rescue operation, Reuters reported, adding that Sri Lankan authorities said they had rescued over 30 people thus far and recovered bodies from the ​sea.

At least 87 died in the strike.

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed at a Pentagon briefing that the U.S. had sunk an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean.

“In the Indian Ocean—an American submarine sunk an Iranian warship, that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo—Quiet Death."

https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu pic.twitter.com/Wc1e0B0um7

— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) March 4, 2026

Strikes, retaliation

This comes after "pre-emptive" strikes that the U.S. and Israel launched on Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, saw Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, killed in airstrikes, and the U.S. added that it had begun "major combat operations" in the country.

Iran later confirmed that it had launched a wave of missiles and drones on Israel, reported the New York Times.

Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain, all of which have U.S. bases, previously reported being targeted by Iranian missiles.

The U.S. base in Bahrain previously confirmed that it had been hit by a missile attack.

At least one person was also killed in Abu Dhabi after the UAE intercepted Iranian missiles, Al-Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile, explosions were heard in Dubai, according to CNN.

'Capability to go far longer'

Addressing reporters on Mar. 2, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. decided to strike Iran on Feb. 28 as it foresaw an Iranian retaliation against the U.S. in response to Israel's attacks.

U.S. President Donald Trump also said on Mar. 2 that the U.S. campaign of military strikes on Iran was initially projected to last four to five weeks, but left the timeline open, "with the capability to go far longer than that".

Trump outlined the U.S.' main objectives — to destroy Iran's missile capabilities and navy, and ensure that "the world's number one sponsor of terror" cannot obtain a nuclear weapon and support militant groups overseas.

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