The U.S. military said it killed six men Sunday in a strike on a suspected drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, part of the Trump administration’s ongoing operations against alleged traffickers.

Since the campaign began in early September, at least 157 people have died in similar attacks on small vessels the U.S. labels “narcoterrorists.” Most of the over 40 known strikes in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean have targeted boats along recognized smuggling routes, according to U.S. Southern Command. The military, however, has not provided proof that the vessels were carrying drugs. A video posted on X showed a small boat exploding while afloat.

President Donald Trump has described the fight against Latin American cartels as an “armed conflict,” framing the attacks as necessary to curb drug flows into the United States. At a meeting with Latin American leaders on Saturday, he urged countries to join the U.S. in military action against cartels and transnational gangs, which he called a major threat to regional security. Ecuador recently partnered with the U.S. on operations against organized crime in the country.

Critics question the legality and effectiveness of the boat strikes, noting that much of the fentanyl behind U.S. overdose deaths is trafficked over land from Mexico rather than by sea. The attacks also sparked controversy after reports revealed that survivors of the first strike were killed in a follow-up attack. Republican officials defended the operations as lawful and necessary, while Democrats and legal experts called the killings potentially criminal or even a war crime.