New Delhi: US military officials report that American forces have damaged or destroyed over 50 Iranian naval vessels during the first ten days of Operation Epic Fury.

Ongoing military campaign against Iran and the beginning of full blown war in the west Asia marked it’s inception on February 28, 2026.

The Pentagon and US Central Command (CENTCOM) statements says more than 5,000 targets across Iranian military infrastructure have been struck, including ballistic missile sites, air‑defense systems and Iranian naval forces. 

The naval strikes form a central component of U.S. efforts to degrade Tehran’s ability to threaten regional maritime security, especially in strategically vital waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz. 

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine confirmed that during the first ten days of operations. US forces have sunk or rendered inoperable more than 50 Iranian naval vessels. They continued to strike mine‑laying ships and related maritime targets. 

United States officials said these actions were aimed at reducing Iran’s ability to project force at sea and disrupt global trade routes. 

CENTCOM’s operational summary provided that earlier in the campaign, more than 43 vessels had been damaged or destroyed before rising to 50+ as strikes intensified.

The announcements did not distinguish how many were sunk versus disabled. 

One of the most notable verified incidents occurred on March 4, 2026, when a U.S. Navy submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka.

The strike marked one of the rare instances in modern U.S. military history in which a submarine torpedoed and sank an enemy surface warship. 

Sri Lankan naval authorities recovered dozens of bodies and rescued survivors in the aftermath. 

Moreover, Iranian retaliation has included missile and drone strikes against U.S. bases and allied assets in the region. 

Despite Tehran’s resistance, top U.S. generals have characterized Iran’s military response as not stronger than initially expected, while maintaining that the campaign continues to apply sustained pressure on key Iranian capabilities. 

The Strait of Hormuz, through which a substantial share of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas transits, remains a flashpoint. 

While the figures have been disclosed by US military officials and CENTCOM through operational updates and briefings, independent verification of each specific naval loss beyond these statements is limited at this stage.

Satellite imagery and external defence analysts are still assessing the full scope of damage to Iranian naval infrastructure across the region.

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