The U.S. military conducted strikes against two boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Saturday, killing five people and leaving one survivor, according to statements from U.S. Southern Command on Sunday.

The military said the vessels were targeted along known drug trafficking routes as part of ongoing counter-narcotics operations in the region. Videos posted on social media showed small boats moving across water before being engulfed in explosions during the strikes.

Following the attacks, U.S. Southern Command notified the Coast Guard to launch a search and rescue mission for the survivor. The Coast Guard confirmed it was coordinating the search operation and said updates would be provided when available.

The strikes are part of a broader campaign against alleged drug traffickers in Latin America that began in September. According to military statements, at least 168 people have been killed in similar boat strikes since the operations commenced.

The Trump administration has characterized the operations as necessary measures to combat what it calls "narcoterrorists" and reduce the flow of drugs into the United States. However, the military did not provide evidence that the targeted vessels were carrying drugs in this latest incident.

Critics have questioned both the legal basis and effectiveness of the boat strike campaign, noting that much of the fentanyl responsible for overdose deaths in the U.S. enters the country overland from Mexico rather than by sea.