A US nuclear attack submarine reportedly torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena, demonstrating the quiet but decisive power of American undersea warfare.
The Iranian warship IRIS Dena departed India on February 25 after participating in the MILAN 2026 naval exercise. The vessel, a 1,500-ton Moudge-class frigate with a crew of about 180 sailors, was sailing back toward Iranian waters through the Indian Ocean and around Sri Lanka.
Because of the conditions for participating in the Indian exercise, the ship was reportedly not carrying its full combat armament, leaving it operationally vulnerable during the return voyage.
Its route took it through waters where, by early March 2026, the US had already confirmed the destruction of much of Iran’s surface fleet in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea.
