Tensions in the Indian Ocean escalated on Thursday as a second Iranian naval vessel approached waters near Sri Lanka, a day after a US submarine destroyed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in a deadly torpedo attack that killed 87 sailors.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet spokesman and minister Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed that the approaching Iranian ship was currently stationed just outside the country’s territorial waters. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation amid rising regional tensions linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to sources quoted by AFP, the vessel is carrying more than 100 crew members. Concerns are growing among officials and observers that the ship could become another target similar to its sister vessel that was sunk a day earlier off Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
The earlier attack occurred in the Indian Ocean when a US submarine reportedly fired torpedoes at the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, destroying the vessel and killing 87 sailors on board. The strike was later claimed by the United States Navy, dramatically intensifying the already volatile situation surrounding the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States.
Meanwhile, authorities in the southern Sri Lankan port city of Galle are preparing to receive and hand over the remains of the 87 Iranian sailors who died in the attack. Local officials are coordinating with Iranian representatives for the repatriation process.
The incident comes as the war in the Middle East enters its sixth day, with hostilities rapidly expanding beyond the immediate region. In response to the strike, Iran launched a fresh wave of attacks targeting Israeli and American military bases and issued a stern warning that the United States would “bitterly regret” its actions in international waters.
Security analysts say the movement of Iranian naval assets near Sri Lanka highlights the widening geographic scope of the conflict, raising concerns about the safety of maritime routes across the Indian Ocean. Sri Lankan authorities have maintained that the approaching vessel remains outside their territorial limits but said they are monitoring developments closely.
The situation continues to evolve as diplomatic and military tensions intensify across multiple regions connected to the expanding Middle East conflict.
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