Anthony Albanese confirmed three Australians were on board the vessel. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
The prime minister has confirmed three Royal Australian Navy personnel were on board a US submarine that sank an Iranian warship earlier this week.
But Anthony Albanese insisted they sat out the operation to sink the IRIS Dena, saying Australian military personnel did not "participate in any offensive action" against Iran.
The US has not identified the submarine, but some US military websites say it was the USS Minnesota, a Virginia-class submarine that rotated through HMAS Stirling near Perth last year.
Dozens of Australian personnel have been rotating through placements on US fast-attack submarines based out of Pearl Harbour in preparation for Australia acquiring its own nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement.
The US military has released footage of a torpedo strike on an Iranian warship.
But this morning, Mr Albanese told Sky News three Australians were on board.
"We wouldn't normally confirm such an issue, but given our [National Security Committee] meetings and the public interest, I can confirm that there were three Australian personnel on board that vessel," he said.
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