US Drone Strikes in Yemen Kill 12 Suspected Militants
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Erik Simonsen/Getty Images(SANAA, Yemen) — The U.S. launched a series of drone strikes in Yemen Thursday that reportedly killed 12 suspected al Qaeda militants.
This latest offensive comes as Washington ordered the closure of the embassy in Sanaa and in 18 other cities throughout the Muslim world as the result of intercepted chatter between al Qaeda leaders that the terrorist group may soon target U.S. interests in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
While drone strikes are not popular with ordinary Yemenis, they do have the approval of the government, which remains under threat by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula which is based in the country’s mountains.
There are reports that the drone missile attacks have killed at least 34 suspected militants in Yemen over the past 13 days. Meanwhile, the Yemeni government claims to have foiled a massive plot last weekend that targeted foreign concerns in the country.
In other developments Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency reported that two foreign men were taken into custody in Saudi Arabia for allegedly discussing plans through social media to launch suicide operations.
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