• Source:JND
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US-Iran War: The US submarine sank an Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, near Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean on Wednesday, signalling that the war will intensify in the waters as well. After the attack on the warship, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi slammed the United States, calling it an incident of "atrocity at sea". According to Iran, the warship had recently visited the Indian Navy and was carrying around 130 sailors at the time of the attack. Sri Lankan authorities said 32 people were rescued from the ship, which they said had 180 people on board and sank outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters. The country's navy said it recovered 87 bodies.

ALSO READ: India To Get Oil Amid Middle East Tension? Iran's IRGC Says Strait Of Hormuz Exclusively Closed For US, Israel, Europe

 Iran Issues Stern Warning After Warship Sinking

Aragchi issued a stern warning in a social media post, saying the US will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set. "The U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set," he wrote on X. The statement is a clear message that in the coming days, the war will be shifted from the sky to the water. More strikes can be seen from the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) to avenge the sinking of the warship.

Sri Lanka Says Second Iranian Ship Awaits Entry

Sri Lanka on Thursday said it is deliberating appropriate action after a second Iranian ship sought entry to its territorial waters, a day after a frigate belonging to the Islamic country was attacked near the island nation. The ship awaits in Sri Lanka's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) close to the maritime boundary but out of its territorial waters. The ship could be targeted by a US submarine.

ALSO READ: 'Launched Rescue Operation': Indian Navy Says It Responded To Iranian Warship Struck By US In Indian Ocean

US Navy's Capacities

Now, the question is whether the Iranian Navy is capable of taking on the superior US Navy. The United States Navy, which is the world's most powerful maritime force and controls more than 50% of the world's oceans, possesses 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and roughly 300 deployable combat vessels as of 2024.

Can Iranian Navy Sustain US Naval Power?

According to the official website of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a nonprofit global security organisation, the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) possessed approximately 28-30 vessels. The IRIN has presence in the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean. It has a total 28-30 submarines in its fleet. The Iranian Navy also has 4-6 diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs) and 24 mini submarines (SSMs).

Here Are Major Highlights In Iranian Navy:

Tareq-Class: Iran has three Tareq-class heavy diesel-electric submarines, which were built in Russia. These submarines are 74 meters long with a 10-meter beam and can travel up to 17 knots when submerged.

Besat-Qaem-Class: Started construction of semi-heavy, diesel-electric vessels in 2008; these submarines have a displacement weight of 1300 tons, and could be equipped with torpedoes, ASCMs, and surface-to-air missiles.

Fateh-Class: Iran reportedly has built three of the semi-heavy Fateh-class diesel-electric coastal submarines.

Nahang-Class: Iran has one Nahang-class mini-submarine, which is able to carry mines or torpedoes externally.


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