Fact Check: Is Pete Hegseth's claim Iranian warship sinking the first torpedo kill since WWII true?

WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the sinking of an Iranian warship by a United States submarine, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that this was the first sinking of an enemy ship using a torpedo since World War II. Let us analyze the defense secretary’s remark and fact-check the claim.

Claim: Iranian warship sinking, a first torpedo kill since WWII

On Wednesday, March 4, Hegseth confirmed that a US submarine had sunk an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean using a torpedo, asserting that this marked “the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War II.”

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth stated. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”

Fact Check: False, there have been two torpedo sinkings since WWII

According to the BBC, the claim seems to be incorrect. The outlet clarified that in 1982, a British nuclear-powered submarine launched two Tigerfish torpedoes in the South Atlantic, sinking Argentina’s sole cruiser, the General Belgrano, during the Falklands War.

Additionally, another sinking took place in 1971, the Indo-Pak war, when the Indian frigate INS Khukri was torpedoed by a Pakistani submarine.

However, if confirmed, the sinking of the Iranian warship would mark the first instance since 1945 in which an American submarine has sunk an enemy vessel in this manner.

Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, later clarified Hegseth’s claim in the same briefing, stating that the attack that occurred was the first instance since 1945 in which an American submarine had sunk an enemy combatant vessel.

Sinking of the Iranian warship

According to the officials, at least 80 people have lost their lives following an attack by a US submarine on an Iranian warship.

According to a report by AP News agency, the Iranian vessel had participated in a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal from February 18 to February 25 and was returning to Iran from a port in eastern India when it was attacked.

As per information available on its website, the 'Milan' naval exercise, hosted by India, included an Iranian ship named 'IRIS Dena' as a participant.

The Pentagon even released footage capturing the exact moment a US torpedo hit an Iranian naval vessel in the Indian Ocean.