(VOVworld) - The United States conducted 20 airstrikes against al Qaeda in Yemen Wednesday night, the Pentagon said Thursday. Multiple locations were struck, targeting militants, equipment, infrastructure, heavy weapons systems, and fighting positions in the Abyan, Shabwa, and Baydha regions.

US aircraft targets Al-Qaeda in Yemen (Photo: timesofmalta)

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said the attacks aimed to degrade al Qaeda’s "ability to coordinate external terror attacks and limit their ability to use territory seized from the legitimate government of Yemen as a safe space for terror plotting.