"Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, two lethal kinetic strikes were conducted on two vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations," Hegseth wrote on X.
The official added that both strikes took place in international waters and no US service members were injured.
"3 male narco-terrorists were aboard each vessel. All 6 were killed," he said.
The vessels "were transiting along a known narco-trafficking transit route in the Eastern Pacific," Hegseth also said.