The U.S. military carried out deadly strikes Tuesday and Wednesday on two Colombian boats in the eastern Pacific, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said early Thursday.
Two people were killed in the first strike and three in the second.
The operations follow a series of recent attacks on small Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, ordered by President Donald Trump.
U.S. officials claim all targeted boats were involved in drug trafficking, though no evidence has been publicly released.
According to U.S. figures, nine boats have been struck in international waters, resulting in 37 deaths.
Governments in Colombia and Venezuela have issued formal protests. Trump responded by accusing both countries of participating in narcotics smuggling.