A Torpedo in the Trade Lanes: Naval Warfare Returns to the Indo-Pacific

A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship, the IRIS Dena, in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, prompting fierce debate about the legality of the strike. The engagement occurred within days of a wider conflict breaking out between the United States and Iran, with the sinking serving as a strategic signal in a critical global trade corridor. The incident exposed how naval warfare is poorly understood, as misinformation circulated claiming the warship was unarmed, despite it being a lawful military target under the law of naval warfare. The analysis clarifies that modern submarines cannot safely surface to rescue survivors and instead must notify other authorities to undertake the rescue.