Three men were killed in the attack, Hegseth wrote in a post on X late on Thursday, which he said was carried out at the direction of US President Donald Trump and struck a “vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization”.

Hegseth, who said the vessel was attacked in international waters, posted a 20-second video clip, marked unclassified, of the boat being struck by a munition and exploding as it sped through the water, according to Al Jazeera.

Though providing no evidence that the vessel was involved in drug smuggling, Hegseth said such attacks would continue until “narco-terrorists” stopped their “poisoning of the American people”.

“To all narco-terrorists who threaten our homeland: If you want to stay alive, stop trafficking drugs. If you keep trafficking deadly drugs – we will kill you,” he said.

Since early September, more than 60 people have been killed in US attacks on at least 18 vessels – 17 boats and a semi-submersible – in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, the report added.

MNA