PENTAGON — In a somber yet defiant briefing this morning, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine provided a sweeping update on “Operation Epic Fury.” The headline of the briefing was the revelation that a U.S. Navy fast-attack submarine successfully engaged and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean using a heavyweight torpedo—the first such combat action by the Silent Service in over 80 years.
The Historic Sinking of the IRIS Dena
Hegseth confirmed that on Tuesday, an unidentified American submarine located and destroyed the IRIS Dena, a Moudge-class frigate, off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The Secretary described the strike as a “quiet death” for a vessel that believed it was safe in international waters.
“For the first time since 1945, a United States Navy fast-attack submarine has sunk an enemy combatant ship using a single Mark 48 torpedo,” General Caine added, emphasizing that the last time the U.S. achieved a torpedo-to-hull sinking was during the closing months of the Second World War. Sri Lankan officials reported that while 32 crew members were rescued, nearly 150 remain missing or deceased.
Operation Epic Fury: Highlights and Progress
Aside from the historic naval engagement, Hegseth and Caine outlined several critical developments as the conflict enters its fifth day:
- Air Superiority: Hegseth declared that the U.S. and Israel will have “complete control of Iranian skies” within the week. He noted that the military has already struck over 2,000 targets, including command centers and ballistic missile sites.
- Naval Attrition: Beyond the IRIS Dena, Caine confirmed that more than 20 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed since Saturday. He stated the Iranian Navy is now “ineffective and decimated.”
- The “Throttle” is Up: General Caine signaled a shift from remote, large-scale strikes to “close-range precision strikes” using JDAMs, stating that the military is now striking “progressively deeper” into Iranian territory.
- Casualty Updates: The Pentagon officially identified four of the six American service members killed in a drone strike on a U.S. base in Kuwait earlier this week. Hegseth expressed deep condolences but maintained that “America is winning… decisively and without mercy.”
- NATO and Regional Allies: Hegseth addressed a missile intercept over Turkish airspace, stating there is currently “no sense” that the incident would trigger NATO’s Article 5. He also praised Middle Eastern allies like Jordan and Saudi Arabia for using their own combat capabilities to defend against Iranian aggression.
Controversy Over Civilian Casualties
The briefing was not without friction. Hegseth was asked repeatedly about an Iranian state media report alleging a strike on a girls’ elementary school that killed 168 people. While Hegseth stated the U.S. is “investigating” the claim, he reiterated that U.S. forces “never target civilian targets” and suggested the operation is “laser-focused” on security infrastructure.
News Sources
- CBS News: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine says U.S. is making “steady progress”
- The Guardian: Middle East crisis live: US submarine sank Iranian warship, Hegseth confirms
- Military Times: US submarine sinks Iranian ship in first torpedo kill since WWII
- Washington Examiner: Hegseth confirms US submarine sank Iranian warship off Sri Lanka coast
- Business Insider: A US Navy Submarine Sank an Iranian Warship With a Torpedo
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