The strike occurred in international waters, Hegseth announced on X, like others carried out in recent weeks as part of President Donald Trump's controversial anti-drug campaign, which has now left at least 62 people dead.

A video accompanying Hegseth's post showed a boat floating stationary in the water before a large explosion and subsequent fire.

Like previous videos released by the US government, areas on the boat are obfuscated, rendering it impossible to verify how many people were on board.

"This vessel, like all the others, was known by our intelligence to be involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, was transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics," Hegseth said.

Besides videos of the strikes, Washington has yet to make public any evidence that its targets have been smuggling narcotics or posed a threat to the United States.

Wednesday's deadly attack comes two days after multiple strikes on fours boats killed 14 people in the eastern Pacific and left one survivor.

The United States asked Mexico to attempt to rescue the survivor, but Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that search efforts had failed.