87 killed as US sinks Iranian warship in Indian Ocean; tanker strike triggers oil spill off Kuwait

The US-Iran war widened sharply on Wednesday after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, killing 87 people, while NATO air defences intercepted and destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile fired towards Turkey. The twin incidents underscored the rapid geographic spread of the conflict far beyond its original flashpoints.

Meanwhile, an air strike hit the Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut early Thursday after Israel issued an evacuation warning to residents. According to British maritime security agency UKMTO, a tanker was hit by a "large explosion" in the waters off Kuwait, causing an oil spill.

The escalation came even as the influential son of Iran’s slain supreme leader emerged as a leading contender to succeed him, signalling that Tehran was unlikely to yield to mounting military pressure. The developments unfolded five days after the United States and Israel launched a joint campaign against Iran that has killed hundreds and rattled global markets.

The missile interception marked the first time Turkey — which borders Iran and fields NATO’s second-largest military — has been directly drawn into the crisis. However, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there was no immediate indication the incident would trigger NATO’s collective defence clause.

The US submarine strike hit an Iranian vessel off Sri Lanka's southern coast, thousands of miles (kilometres) from the Gulf, as fighting paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for a fifth day, choking off vital Middle East oil and gas flows. Sri Lankan authorities said 87 bodies had been recovered after a US submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off the island’s coast. Search operations for additional missing personnel are continuing, a navy official told AFP.

‘Missile likely aimed at Cyprus base’
A ballistic missile launched from Iran and heading towards Turkish airspace was intercepted and destroyed by NATO air defence systems, Turkish officials said on Wednesday, underscoring rising tensions across the Middle East. Turkey’s defence ministry said the missile, which travelled via Iraq and Syria, was “engaged and neutralised by NATO air-and-missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean”. Officials did not specify the intended target. Iran has been striking locations across the region following recent attacks on it by the United States and Israel. A Turkish official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said the missile had been aimed at a base in Greek Cyprus but veered off course. The United Arab Emirates described the missile launch as a serious escalation.

Israel cites ‘historic gains’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel and the United States had achieved “historic gains” in their campaign against Iran. Spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian claimed the operation was necessary because Iran was using new underground bunkers to rebuild its nuclear weapons programme.

An air strike hit the Hezbollah stronghold in south Beirut early Thursday after Israel issued an evacuation warning to residents. Lebanon’s health ministry said three people were killed in two Israeli strikes on vehicles along Beirut’s airport highway. Officials earlier reported that 72 people had been killed and more than 83,000 displaced since the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began.

US President Donald Trump said Washington was performing strongly in the conflict, telling a gathering of technology executives that the United States was doing “about a 15” on a scale of 10.

Spain reiterated its opposition to Washington’s use of Spanish bases in operations linked to Iran, rejecting White House claims of cooperation. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Madrid’s stance on the Middle East conflict and the bombardment of Iran had not changed.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would dispatch a special envoy to help mediate in the Middle East. China, a close partner of Iran, has urged the United States and Israel to halt their attacks while backing Tehran’s right to defend its sovereignty.

Shipping disruptions deepen
Global shipping concerns intensified as Danish giant Maersk suspended new bookings in the Gulf following a risk assessment. The company had already halted transit through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest oil routes. Several other shipping firms have taken similar steps.

The Omani navy rescued 24 crew members from a container ship struck by missiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces, meanwhile, claimed “complete control” of the vital waterway, a day after Trump said the US Navy was prepared to escort tankers through the channel.
(With AFP, Reuters inputs.)