A US submarine has reportedly destroyed an Iranian warship using a torpedo in international waters, marking a significant escalation in the direct military confrontation between Washington and Tehran. 

The announcement was made by United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who framed the strike as a decisive action within the broader context of the intensifying Israel-Iran conflict. According to reports from the Associated Press, the engagement underscores a shift from proxy skirmishes to high-stakes maritime combat.

Beyond the naval theatre, Hegseth outlined an ambitious timeline for achieving total aerial dominance over the Islamic Republic. He claimed that the combined capabilities of the American and Israeli air forces would secure "complete and uncontested control" of Iranian airspace within seven days. This operation is intended to neutralise Iran’s ability to project power or defend its borders against incoming sorties.

The Secretary of War detailed a strategy of relentless, 24-hour kinetic operations designed to dismantle Iran’s core military capabilities. The primary objectives of these strikes include the destruction of missile batteries, the degradation of the country’s defence industrial base, and the targeting of high-level military leadership. This approach suggests a "decapitation" strategy aimed at shattering the Iranian chain of command.

Describing the current trajectory of the hostilities, Hegseth asserted that American and Israeli forces are currently "winning decisively." He expressed high confidence in the momentum of the campaign, characterising the tactical results from the opening days of the conflict as "incredible." These statements appear intended to project a sense of inevitability regarding the outcome of the war.

Despite the gravity of these claims, Tehran has yet to issue a formal response or provide its own account of the naval engagement. The silence from the Iranian capital comes as the region braces for further volatility, with the international community watching closely for any signs of a wider retaliatory strike that could engulf neighbouring states in the escalating violence.

Agencies