ISTANBUL

The US military said Thursday that it killed four men in a strike on a suspected drug vessel in the Eastern Pacific, describing the target as a ship operated by a designated terrorist organization and used for narcotics trafficking.

US Southern Command announced the operation on the US social media company X’s platform, saying the action was taken under orders from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

It said intelligence showed the vessel “was carrying illicit narcotics and transiting along a known narco-trafficking route in the Eastern Pacific.”

"Four male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed,” the statement said.

The US has carried out at least 22 strikes in both the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean on boats suspected of transporting narcotics since September, killing at least 87 people.

The latest attack came amid discussions that Hegseth ordered the killing of survivors in a follow-on strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean Sea in September, which the administration rejects.

The White House confirmed the second strike but denied that Hegseth ordered the killing of survivors. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Hegseth authorized US Special Operations Command commander Adm. Frank Bradley to conduct strikes on Sept. 2 and directed the second engagement, acting "well within his authority and the law."

The US has expanded military operations across Latin America in recent months, deploying Marines, warships, fighter jets, bombers, submarines, and drones.