US sinks Iranian warship in international waters

Attack raises questions about legality of ongoing conflict with Iran

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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The U.S. Navy has sunk an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, thousands of miles from the main theater of conflict. The attack, which took place in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka, has raised questions about the legality of the U.S. military's actions against Iran, as Congress has not formally declared war.

Why it matters

The sinking of the Iranian ship in international waters highlights the broader legal questions surrounding the ongoing U.S. military operations against Iran, which have involved more than a dozen countries. Experts say a formal declaration of war by Congress is needed to provide a clear legal framework for the conflict.

The details

The U.S. submarine strike targeted an Iranian warship that was in the Indian Ocean, outside the main Middle East war zone. Military law experts say the Iranian ship would have been a lawful target had the U.S. declared war, but the lack of a formal declaration makes the legality of the attack murky. Iranian officials have condemned the attack as an 'atrocity', while U.S. officials have defended the strike as complying with international law.

  • The attack took place on March 1, 2026.
  • The House of Representatives voted against a war powers resolution on Thursday, while a similar measure failed in the Senate on Wednesday.

The players

USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116)

An Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer that fired the Tomahawk missiles in the attack.

Abbas Araghchi

The Iranian Foreign Minister who condemned the attack as an 'atrocity'.

Rachel VanLandingham

A retired Lt. Col. and former judge advocate general in the U.S. Air Force who said the attack 'underscores why Congress should have approved this in the first place'.

Brian Finucane

A former attorney-adviser at the U.S. State Department who said the submarine attack would have been lawful if the conflict was authorized by Congress.

Donald Trump

The U.S. President who has referred to the conflict with Iran as a 'war'.

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What they’re saying

“The U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set.”

— Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister (wondradio.com)

“When you're going to have such global implications -- that's one of the reasons the founding fathers said Congress gets to decide wars of choice.”

— Rachel VanLandingham, Retired Lt. Col. and former judge advocate general in the U.S. Air Force (wondradio.com)

“The fundamental legal problems under both U.S. and international law of the submarine engagement relate to the underlying use of force in this war against Iran.”

— Brian Finucane, Former attorney-adviser at the U.S. State Department (wondradio.com)

What’s next

The House and Senate will continue to debate the need for a formal declaration of war against Iran, as the conflict appears set to escalate in intensity and scope.

The takeaway

The sinking of the Iranian warship in international waters underscores the broader legal questions surrounding the U.S. military's operations against Iran, which experts say require a formal declaration of war by Congress to provide a clear legal framework.