US continues attacks against al Qaeda in Yemen for second day

BBC:
US air strikes have hit suspected al-Qaeda targets in Yemen for a second consecutive day, according to Yemeni security sources and local residents.

The home of an al-Qaeda leader in the Yashbum valley, southern Shabwa province, was among the locations hit.

On Thursday, the Pentagon said it had carried out more than 20 strikes in Shabwa, Abyan and Baida provinces.
...

Local residents, quoted by AFP news agency, said military forces believed to be US descended on Wadi Yashbum village early on Friday, backed by drones and Apache helicopters, and fought al-Qaeda militants for nearly an hour.

They said there were a number of casualties, including children.

The home of al-Qaeda provincial commander Saad Atef was among three houses hit by air strikes, tribal sources said.

The Pentagon has not yet confirmed the latest strikes, but it did say it had carried out more than 20 strikes on Thursday in three separate areas: Shabwa, Abyan and Baida.
...
I think Atef was one of the original targets in the special forces raid that likely produced the intelligence that led to this latest spate of attacks.  This appears to be an aggressive push by Sec. Mattis to put al Qaeda on its heels in Yemen and prevent other planned attacks by the terrorists.

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