The United States military said on Friday that it carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two people whom it described as individuals involved in narcotics trafficking.

In a statement, US Southern Command said intelligence assessments indicated the boat was traveling along “established narcotics trafficking routes” and was actively engaged in drug-smuggling operations at the time of the strike. The command said the operation resulted in the deaths of “two narco-terrorists,” adding that efforts were ongoing to locate a possible survivor.

Video footage released by the military showed a small vessel moving through open waters before erupting in flames following the strike.

The operation marked the first publicly acknowledged maritime strike since US President Donald Trump earlier this month ordered the military to abduct Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to US officials. That directive has been followed by an escalation in US military actions in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions.

Since early September, the US military has conducted more than 30 strikes against boats it alleges were involved in drug-smuggling operations off the coast of South America. According to the Associated Press, citing information from the Trump administration, those operations have resulted in more than 100 deaths.

In recent weeks, US forces have also expanded operations targeting sanctioned oil shipments linked to Venezuela. Last week, US forces operating in the Caribbean seized an oil tanker that President Trump said was connected to Venezuelan oil exports.

Following Maduro’s reported abduction earlier this month, the Trump administration announced measures asserting control over Venezuela’s oil distribution. Trump said an agreement had been reached with the country’s interim leadership that would allow up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil to be supplied to the United States. He also signed an executive order placing Venezuelan oil revenues into US-controlled accounts, describing the move as a safeguard against misuse.

The most recent maritime strikes before Friday’s operation took place in late December, when the US military said it targeted five suspected drug-smuggling boats over a two-day period. Those strikes killed eight people, according to US officials, while others were reported to have jumped into the sea. The US Coast Guard later suspended search operations. (ILKHA