Agence France Presse reported Monday that a drone strike in the eastern part of Yemen left six alleged Al Qaeda affiliates dead.
The strike represents the first such aerial attack since Sanaa launched its ground offensive against Al Qaeda suspects last month.
Tribal sources confirmed the strike, saying that "[The pilotless aircraft targeted a vehicle carrying] Al Qaeda members near Husn [in Marib province]."
The United States is the only country that is conducting drone attacks in the country, but U.S. officials often-if ever-confirm their activities in this regard. Rather, the program tends to operate covertly.
In recent months, however, more public criticism has emerged regarding the U.S. drone program, with thousands of Yemenis taking to the streets in the country's capital in protest of the operations.
"Scores" of alleged Al Qaeda suspects were killed by U.S. drone strikes last month in the southern and central regions of Yemen.
The U.S. considers Yemen's Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) as the most dangerous chapter of the global jihadist network.
The Yemeni government also recently launched an offensive on AQAP April 29 last month in an effort to oust the jihadists from their strongholds in the country's southern and eastern regions.
