A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Mar. 4 in a joint press conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, providing updates of the campaign as the U.S.’s “Operation Epic Fury” enters its fourth day against the Islamic Republic.
Secretary Hegseth revealed that a torpedo from an American submarine took down the warship "that thought it was safe in international waters." "Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo — quiet death," Secretary Hegseth expressed, stating that it is the first time since World War II that the U.S. has sunk an enemy ship.
Gen. Caine also confirmed that “as of this morning, U.S. Central Command [(CENTCOM)] is making steady progress."
Gen. Caine announced that the military operation has taken down more than 20 Iranian naval ships, one submarine “and effectively neutralized, at this point in time, Iran's major naval presence in theater out there."
"Only the United States of America could lead this, only us," Secretary Hegseth noted. "But when you add the Israeli Defense Forces, a devastatingly capable force, the combination is sheer destruction for our radical Islamist Iranian adversaries. They are toast, and they know it. Or at least soon enough, they will know it."
The U.S. military has neutralized over 2,000 targets in Iran since the start of the conflict, including Iranian navy ships and submarines, IRGC headquarters, and control and command centers.
In response to the intensified operations against Iran, Iranian state television announced that the funeral ceremony for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the U.S. and Israel’s joint kinetic airstrikes over the weekend, would be postponed.
According to a U.S. official, six U.S. service members have died, with 10 seriously injured, since the beginning of the airstrikes.
"To the families of our fallen, we grieve with you today," Caine said in response to the casualties.
Hegseth affirmed that "we have only just begun to hunt, dismantle, demoralize, destroy, and defeat their capabilities," adding that the operation could last several weeks.
