A United States submarine sank an Iranian naval warship near Sri Lanka amid rising tensions in the Iran-US conflict. The ship, returning from naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, reportedly had dozens of sailors on board, with many feared dead and several rescued. The incident has drawn attention to India because the vessel had recently operated near Indian waters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi now faces growing diplomatic pressure to clarify India’s position as New Delhi maintains ties with both Washington and Tehran. The situation highlights India’s delicate balancing act in foreign policy while tensions in the Middle East and surrounding regions continue to escalate. (PC: AFP)

Iran condemned the US submarine attack that sank its naval frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, calling it an attack on a “guest of India”.   Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the ship was returning from naval exercises in India when it was struck.   “The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea… Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy, was struck in international waters without warning,” he wrote on X.   The attack killed 87 Iranian sailors. More than 60 remain missing.   Thirty-two survivors are being treated in a hospital in Galle, Sri Lanka.   The United States said the strike was part of its campaign against Iranian naval forces. (PC: X)

Israel and Iran carried out new attacks on Thursday as fighting in the Middle East entered its sixth day. Israeli forces said they struck a missile launcher in Qom and an air defence system in Isfahan. Explosions were also reported in Tehran. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks toward Israel. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Israeli defence systems intercepted several strikes in the sky. Meanwhile, the UK delayed a planned evacuation flight for its citizens from Oman due to a technical issue. In the United States, lawmakers voted against a proposal that would have limited the authority of Donald Trump to order further military action against Iran. (PC: BBC)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said military conflict cannot solve any issue as fighting between the US and Iran spreads across West Asia.   Speaking at a joint press conference with Alexander Stubb in New Delhi, Modi said India supports dialogue and diplomacy.   “India and Finland believe in rule of law, dialogue and diplomacy. Only military conflict cannot solve any issue, whether it is Ukraine or West Asia,” he said.   The region has seen heavy missile and drone attacks after US-Israel strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last week.   An Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, was also hit off Sri Lanka, killing several sailors.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it struck a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf hours after an American torpedo sank an Iranian warship. Iranian state media said the tanker caught fire. Casualties were not immediately known.   The strike followed a US submarine attack on Iran’s frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean. The ship had been returning from naval exercises in Visakhapatnam, India.   Iranian officials said 87 sailors were killed and more than 60 remain missing.   The attack happened off Sri Lanka’s southern coast in international waters. US forces have recently increased strikes on Iranian naval assets in the region. (PC: India Today)

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not speaking about the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena. The ship was hit by a US submarine torpedo in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka during the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran. Gandhi said the incident shows the conflict has moved closer to India. “The conflict has reached our backyard, with an Iranian warship sunk in the Indian Ocean,” he wrote on X. He questioned why the prime minister had not commented on the issue. Gandhi said India needed “a steady hand at the wheel” at such a time. (PC: HT)

Iran has condemned the US for sinking its naval frigate IRIS Dena in international waters near Sri Lanka. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Aragchi called the strike an “atrocity at sea”.   He said the warship had recently visited India for naval exercises hosted by the Indian Navy. The vessel was returning from Visakhapatnam when it was struck by a torpedo fired from a US submarine.   Aragchi said the ship carried about 130 sailors and was attacked without warning far from Iran’s shores. “Washington will bitterly regret setting such a precedent,” he said.   Reports say around 80 sailors may have died. Sri Lankan naval teams rescued about 30 survivors.(PC: X)

Residents in Iran say daily life has become frightening as US and Israeli strikes continue across the country. Many people in Tehran say the attacks feel constant and unpredictable.   “Each day has felt like a month. The volume of attacks is so high,” said Salar, a Tehran resident whose name was changed for safety.   The strikes began on February 28 and have targeted military and political sites. Iranian officials say more than 160 people were killed when a girls’ school in Minab was hit. The White House said it does not target civilians and is investigating.   Residents say streets are mostly empty and security checkpoints have increased. “There are checkpoints everywhere,” one student said.

The UK Ministry of Defence said a “Shahed-type drone” that struck the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was not launched from Iran. The Iranian-made drone hit the runway at the RAF base near Limassol around midnight on March 2. Officials said the strike caused minimal damage and no injuries. It is believed to be the first attack on the military facility since 1986. In a statement, the ministry said: “A Shahed-like drone which targeted RAF Akrotiri was not launched from Iran.” The UK also said it has resupplied air defence systems to British and allied bases in the region. Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles will arrive in Cyprus soon. (PC: The Indian Express)

Iran fired another round of missiles at Israel on Thursday as the conflict with the US and Israel entered its sixth day. Air raid alerts were triggered in several Israeli areas, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Israeli military issued three warnings of incoming Iranian missiles within two hours. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Local media also reported explosions in Tehran. The fighting began after US and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, the US sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the ship “thought it was safe in international waters”. (PC: X)