One of al-Qaeda’s local leaders was killed in the strike in north of Khabar Al-Maraqsha, a mountainous area known to be used by al-Qaeda. Western countries regard al-Qaeda in Yemen, also known as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), as the militant network’s most dangerous branch.

AQAP grew and developed in the chaos of Yemen’s war, which since 2015 has pitted the Houthis against an Arab-led coalition backing the government.