U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the United States is making gains in its conflict with Iran after a key Iranian naval target was destroyed, confirming that the strike was carried out by a U.S. submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka. Rescue efforts are now under way for the ship’s crew.
Speaking on Wednesday, Hegseth said the United States was “winning” the conflict and insisted American forces could continue operations for as long as necessary.
“Our air defences and those of our allies have plenty of runway. We can sustain this fight easily for as long as we need,” he told reporters.
The Pentagon also confirmed that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament that 180 people were aboard the vessel, identified as the IRIS Dena.
The ship had recently participated in a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal from 18 to 25 February.
Sri Lankan navy spokesman Commander Buddhika Sampath said rescue operations began after a distress call from the Iranian vessel. Thirty-two people were rescued and are being treated in hospital in the southern port city of Galle, while several bodies have been recovered from the sea.
“The rescue boats did not see the ship but observed an oil slick,” Sampath said. He added that the incident occurred outside Sri Lankan waters but that Colombo remained committed to providing assistance.
Meanwhile, the top U.S. military officer said Iran is launching fewer missiles than at the start of the conflict as American strikes intensify deeper inside Iranian territory.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon briefing: “We will now begin to expand inland, striking progressively deeper into Iranian territory and creating additional freedom of manoeuvre for U.S. forces.”
In a separate operation, the U.S. military said it had killed an Iranian official who led a unit accused of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
Hegseth said the alleged assassination plot was not the main objective of the campaign but confirmed the individual had been “hunted down and killed”.
“Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh,” Hegseth said, adding that those responsible had eventually been placed on the U.S. target list.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know....
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
Armenia's parliament has passed a new law raising the requirements for citizens living abroad to vote in national elections, following concerns over alleged efforts to influence last month's parliamentary vote through Armenian citizens residing in Russia.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious procession in north-eastern Thailand, police said.
Armenia's parliament has passed a new law raising the requirements for citizens living abroad to vote in national elections, following concerns over alleged efforts to influence last month's parliamentary vote through Armenian citizens residing in Russia.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Georgia’s only oil refinery will stop using Russian crude oil by September to preserve access to Western markets, its operator has said.
Iran has begun talks with Japan about selling oil to Japanese companies, according to Iranian and Western sources. The discussions come less than a month after the U.S. eased decades-old sanctions on Iranian oil as part of efforts to secure a final peace deal with Tehran.
At least 40 people were killed after a passenger bus plunged off a highway into a ravine in southwestern Pakistan, officials said on Friday (3 July).
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