Regional
Iranian sailors recovering in Sri Lankan hospital after US submarine attack
Iranian sailors rescued from a torpedo attack on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean are recovering in a hospital in southern Sri Lanka, officials said on Thursday, a day after the strike killed dozens of crew members and left many others missing.
Sri Lankan authorities said 32 sailors who survived the attack were taken to Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in the port city of Galle for treatment of injuries and exhaustion following the explosion and sinking of the vessel.
Hospital officials indicated that most of the survivors suffered relatively minor wounds and were expected to recover, Reuters reported.
The Iranian warship, identified by Sri Lankan officials as the frigate IRIS Dena, was sunk on Wednesday after being struck by a torpedo fired from a U.S. submarine in the Indian Ocean, roughly 40 nautical miles off Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
The incident occurred far from the main theatres of fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States, marking a dramatic widening of the conflict at sea.
Rescue teams responding to a distress call recovered at least 87 bodies from the water, while around 60 crew members remain missing from the roughly 180 people believed to have been aboard the ship.
Sri Lankan navy personnel reported finding survivors floating in the sea amid debris and oil slicks after the vessel sank.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine carried out the strike, saying the Iranian warship had been targeted with a torpedo while operating in international waters.
A video released by the Pentagon appeared to show a large explosion ripping through the rear of the vessel before it began to sink.
The IRIS Dena, commissioned in 2021, had recently participated in multinational naval exercises in India before beginning its return voyage to Iran when it was attacked.
Sri Lankan authorities said search operations for missing crew members are continuing in the waters south of the island.
The strike is one of the most significant naval incidents of the escalating confrontation involving Iran, the United States and Israel, extending hostilities into the wider Indian Ocean region.
Regional
Mojtaba Khamenei: Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases
Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new leader, said on Thursday that Iran’s neighbors must close all U.S. bases on their territory, as Tehran will continue its attacks against them.
In his first statement, broadcast and read out by state television, Khamenei told the Iranian people: “I assure everyone that we will not neglect avenging the blood of your martyrs.”
He added: “The popular demand is to continue our effective defence and make the enemy regret! The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used.”
However, state television did not explain why Khamenei’s first remarks were read by a presenter rather than delivered in a video.
No images of him have yet been released since the strike that killed his father, Ali Khamenei.
In these remarks, Mojtaba Khamenei also confirmed that his wife, sister, and other family members were killed.
Regional
Up to 3.2 million displaced inside Iran as conflict escalates, UNHCR says
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the conflict that erupted on February 28, warning that the humanitarian situation is rapidly worsening.
In a statement released Thursday, the UN refugee agency said the figure is based on preliminary assessments of uprooted households and could rise further if hostilities continue.
“This number is likely to increase as fighting persists, signaling a troubling escalation in humanitarian needs,” UNHCR said.
The agency noted that many of the displaced have fled their homes in search of safety, often moving to nearby provinces or staying with relatives and host communities. Others have sought temporary shelter in public buildings and informal settlements, placing additional pressure on local resources.
Humanitarian organizations say the sudden movement of millions of people is creating urgent needs for shelter, food, medical care and basic services. Aid agencies are working with local authorities to assess conditions and deliver assistance to affected communities.
The displacement crisis comes amid broader regional instability that has raised concerns among international organizations about the potential for further population movements both inside Iran and across borders.
UNHCR said it is continuing to monitor developments closely and is coordinating with humanitarian partners to scale up assistance as the situation evolves.
Regional
Trump on Iran: We won, but don’t want to leave early
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that “we won” the Iran war but that the United States will stay in the fight to finish the job.
“You never like to say too early you won. We won,” Trump told a campaign-style rally in Hebron, Kentucky. “In the first hour it was over.”
He said the United States had knocked out 58 Iranian naval ships.
Trump has seesawed on Iran, crediting the U.S. military for significantly degrading Iran’s military but resisting a speedy end to the conflict.
“We don’t want to leave early do we?” Trump said. “We got to finish the job.”
He said the United States has “virtually destroyed Iran.” He seemed to signal that the United States would continue the fight for now.
“We don’t want to go back every two years,” he said.
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