US drone strike kills 2 alleged al-Qaida operatives in Yemen: source

A U.S. drone strike on Saturday targeted a motorcycle in the Al-Husoon area of Al-Wadi district, east of central Yemen's Marib province, killing two alleged al-Qaida operatives, a local government security source told Xinhua.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the two youths were from Al-Wadi district but did not provide their names.

The strike occurred amid ongoing counter-terrorism operations in Yemen, where U.S. drones have periodically targeted individuals believed to be affiliated with militant groups, including al-Qaida.

Neither the United States nor the internationally recognized Yemeni government has issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Marib, a strategic and oil-rich province, is under the control of the Yemeni government. Both al-Qaida and the Houthis have sought to expand their activities in the province since the civil war began in late 2014.

The province has recently seen heightened security measures amid reports of militia movements aimed at inciting chaos.