--- title: "A US submarine sunk an enemy ship with a torpedo for the first time since WWII" date: "2026-03-04" modified: "2026-03-04" authors: - name: "Miguel Ortiz" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/miguelortiz.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/military-news/a-us-submarine-sunk-an-enemy-ship-with-a-torpedo-first-time-since-wwii/" categories: - "Military News" - "Ships" - "Tactical" tags: - "Iran" - "Navy" - "News" - "Submarines" --- # A US submarine sunk an enemy ship with a torpedo for the first time since WWII ![Sinking decommissioned ship]() *Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 military forces from Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the U.S. fired upon and sunk the decommissioned ex-USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60), July 12, during a sinking exercise (SINKEX) to gain proficiency in tactics, targeting and live firing against a surface target at sea. (U.S. Navy)* Operation Epic Fury has seen extensive U.S. military action against the Iranian regime within Iran’s borders. Precision air and naval strikes have struck command and control centers, ballistic missile sites, and even Iranian Navy vessels. While these types of military actions have been seen in modern combat, the Pentagon confirmed an action that the United States hasn’t conducted in decades: a submarine torpedo kill. **Related: [How Kuwait’s air defenses downed three American F-15 Strike Eagles]()** On the morning of March 4, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a press briefing in which he confirmed that a U.S. submarine sunk an Iranian warship. “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,” Hegseth said. “The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War 2. Like in that war—back when we were still the War Department—we are fighting to win.” https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2029203986314919960 While the identity of the U.S. submarine was not identified for operational security, the IRIS (Islamic Republic of Iran Navy) Dena was in the region off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The Moudge-class frigate is assigned to the Iranian Navy’s Southern Fleet and had reportedly taken part in a naval drill in the Bay of Bengal. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath reported that 180 personnel were aboard the IRIS Dena and that 32 survivors were rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy. A Sri Lankan Navy spokesman also noted that the rescue effort recovered bodies from the scene. In the video released by the Pentagon, the stern of the targeted ship is lifted out of the water by the force of the munition blast. The catastrophic failure of the hull’s integrity causes the ship to immediately begin sinking. ![IRIS Dena]() *The IRIS Dena was launched in 2015 (Islamic Republic News Agency)* “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 to achieve immediate effect, sending the warship to the bottom of the sea,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said at the press briefing. “This is an incredible demonstration of America’s global reach. To hunt, find, and kill an out-of-area deployer is something that only the United States can do at this time of scale.” First introduced in 1972, the Mark 48 is a heavyweight submarine-launched torpedo designed to engage both surface and subsurface targets. Able to be guided from the firing submarine via wires, the latest Mod 7 version of the torpedo also has an advanced, onboard sonar guidance system and is resistant to electronic countermeasures. The Mark 48 is carried by all U.S. Navy submarines. Currently, the fast attack fleet includes the Los Angeles, Seawolf, and Virginia class submarines. While not identified as the class of ship that sunk the IRIS Dena, the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines can also carry the Mark 48. ![Mark 48 torpedo]() *Sailors assigned to the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760), guide a MK-48 torpedo during a weapons load. (U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Nikita Custer)* Operation Epic Fury kicked off on February 28, 2026. Since then, Caine reports that more than 2,000 targets have been struck across Iran and more than 20 Iranian Navy ships have been destroyed. The [U.S. lost three F-15E Strike Eagles]() to friendly fire from Kuwaiti air defenses, though all crew members ejected and survived. Six U.S. service members assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command were killed following an unmanned drone attack in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on March 1, 2026. As of the writing of this article, four of the six soldiers have been identified: Capt. Cody Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, and Sgt. Declan Coady. The Pentagon reports that the incident is under investigation. ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty ##### **• [Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly killed by an Israeli missile]()** ##### **• [America’s ongoing quest to stop firing $4 million missiles at $30,000 drones]()** ##### **• [This is what makes the Mark 48 one of the deadliest torpedoes ever built]()** ## Author Miguel Ortiz is a Senior Contributor for We Are The Mighty covering primarily military news and history with an emphasis on weapons technology. He is a former active duty Army officer and remains a member of the Army IRR. After commissioning through San Diego State University Army ROTC, Miguel served with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY. He has written for We Are The Mighty since 2020, drawing from his passion for the military community and history. Miguel’s work has also been seen on Business Insider and The Blast. He remains an avid shooter, competing in local USPSA matches. Miguel’s other hobbies are traveling and watch collecting. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()