SriLanka, May 3 -- The new evidence comes from Commander Abuzar Zarri, captain of the Dena, and the vessel's first officer, who appeared in an Iranian television report released on April 21. Zarri, who had previously been reported dead, appeared injured and using a crutch. Their account offers the first direct testimony from survivors of the attack and strengthens allegations that the U.S. Navy carried out a calculated "double-tap" strike designed to maximize casualties.

The Dena, a Mowj-class frigate of the Iranian Navy, had been returning from India's MILAN 2026 international naval exercise in Visakhapatnam, where it participated alongside naval forces from several countries, including the United States and Russia. According to Zarri, ...