First submarine named after Massachusetts joins the Navy fleet

BOSTON (AP) — The USS Massachusetts officially joined the Navy fleet on Saturday after a commissioning ceremony, making it the first submarine named after the Bay State.

The newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine, which can dive to depths greater than 800 feet (240 meters), was christened on May 6, 2023, by the ship’s sponsor, Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta. This is the 25th Virginia-Class submarine co-produced by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding and the fifth U.S. Navy vessel named after Massachusetts.

“To be able to take a ship from new construction and watch it be built together by the ship yard, train with our team and bring into Boston Harbor for the first time, it's very amazing,” said the sub's commanding officer, Mike Siedsma, a 21-year Navy veteran who has spent time on four different classes of submarines. “I looked at the history books. I don't think we've had a submarine in Boston Harbor since sometime in the late ’80s or early ’90s.”

Siedsma did not say where the sub — which cost over $2.8 billion, weighs about 8,000 tons and can carry 24 Tomahawk cruise missiles — is headed. A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka earlier this month in the war with Iran.

“The geopolitical situation is very interesting,” Siedsma said. “What is important to remember is what we are doing is proving the power of the United States Navy."

The crew of 147 also includes 39 women, 16 years after a ban on women serving on submarines was lifted. The USS New Jersey, which was commissioned in 2024, was the first sub designed and built with modifications for a gender-integrated crew.

“The ship is intentionally designed to be served on by both women and men. That is pretty exciting. Twenty five percent of this crew is female,” Sandberg said. “Those sailors just don't inspire me. They inspire every little girl out there to believe that she could do anything.”

The Navy said this is the fifth vessel to be named after the state. The first USS Massachusetts was a steamer built in 1845 and the last was USS Massachusetts, BB 59, commissioned in 1942 as a South Dakota-class fast battleship. Most of its time was spent in the Pacific during World War II.

For Sandberg, the commissioning also brought to mind the role the state has played in the founding of the United States and how “people are still fighting for the same freedoms that the original colonists were fighting for.”

Reporters touring the sub were led past the control room, down into the torpedo room and into the dining hall. The ward room, where officers eat, also features a mug rack featuring wood from counties in Massachusetts. It was donated by “This Old House,” the television home improvement show.

“It was an incredible donation. Very great connection to the state and the commonwealth,” Siedsma said. “It's beautiful.”

A sailors runs to board the USS Massachusetts during a rehearsal ahead of the commissioning of the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sailors work in the countermeasures department of the Torpedo Room on the USS Massachusetts, the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A torpedo chamber is seen on USS Massachusetts, the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sailors stand at attention on the USS Massachusetts during a rehearsal ahead of the commissioning of the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sailors stand at attention on the USS Massachusetts during a rehearsal ahead of the commissioning of the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A sailor stands guard next to the sail of the USS Massachusetts, the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Sheryl Sandberg, the ship sponsor of the USS Massachusetts, attends a rehearsal ahead of the commissioning of the Navy's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

SUQAYLABIYAH, Syria (AP) — An argument between two men in a Christian town in central Syria led to sectarian attacks that caused widespread damage to homes, shops and cars in a reminder of religious violence that followed the fall of longtime leader Bashar Assad two years ago.

The attacks in the predominantly Christian town of Suqaylabiyah in Hama province are the latest to target members of Syria’s Christian minority, many of whom have left the country since the conflict began 15 years ago, leaving half a million people dead and the population deeply divided.

There was no immediate word on casualties in the attacks that lasted until the early hours of Saturday, during which scores of men on motorcycles from the nearby Sunni town of Qalaat al-Madiq attacked the property of Christians.

“We passed through a state of terror, fear, and panic,” said Liyan Dweir, whose clothes shop was riddled with bullets and suffered heavy damage. His children were terrified during the hourslong assault, he said.

Dweir said an argument between a resident of Suqaylabiyah and another from Qalaat al-Madiq led to scores of men from the Sunni town storming the area and attacking shops, homes and cars.

“It is unfair that because of an argument two towns clashed,” he said.

Another Suqaylabiyah resident, Nafeh al-Nader, said young men broke the gate of his house and kicked a diesel heater, setting a room on fire. They tried to set another room on fire but were unsuccessful after a neighbor rushed for help, and was hit with a stick by one of the attackers.

Government forces brought in reinforcements into Suqaylabiyah, calming the violence. Hundreds of residents marched through the streets Saturday demanding accountability and declaring a strike until the perpetrators are punished.

Since the fall of Assad in December 2024, members of the country’s Alawite, Druze and Christian minorities have been subjected to attacks by gunmen loyal to the country’s new Islamist rulers. Hundreds of people have been killed, including Alawites in Syria’s coastal region in March last year and Druze in the southern province of Sweida in July.

Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government has condemned attacks on minorities but many accuse it of looking the other way or being unable to control the armed groups it is trying to absorb.

During Syria’s conflict that began in 2011, Suqaylabiyah was held by forces loyal to Assad while Qalaat al-Madiq was held by insurgent groups that eventually overthrew the Assad family's 54-year rule.

Anger has been on the rise among many Syrians after the country’s authorities banned the consumption of alcohol in the capital of Damascus. The ban affects Christian neighborhoods in Damascus that are famous for their restaurants and pubs.

Christians made up about 10% of Syria’s prewar population of 23 million. They enjoyed freedom of worship under the Assad government and some high government posts. Initially, many Christians were willing to give the new authorities a chance but the situation worsened in June after a suicide bombing inside a church outside Damascus killed 25 people and wounded dozens.

Bullet holes mark a wall next to a crucifix following overnight violence in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah, west of Hama, Syria, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

Men remove burned furniture inside a damaged home following overnight violence in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah, west of Hama, Syria, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

A man inspects a vehicle with shattered windows following overnight violence in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah, west of Hama, Syria, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

A man and a woman drive a vehicle with a shattered windshield in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah, west of Hama, Syria, Saturday, March 28, 2026, following overnight violence. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)

A member of Syria's Internal Security Forces sits on a vehicle parked outside a church in the predominantly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah, west of Hama, Syria, Saturday, March 28, 2026, following overnight violence. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)