Shabwa — A U.S. drone strike late Wednesday targeted a gathering of suspected Al-Qaeda militants in the village of Khoura, located in the Lower Markha district of Shabwa province, southeastern Yemen, according to local security sources.

The strike reportedly involved two separate missile launches. The first hit a location where several militants were assembled, while the second targeted a vehicle that had departed the site moments earlier. Initial reports indicate that at least two individuals were killed in the attack.

Among the dead were Saqr Al-Humaikani and Mohammed Khamees bin Arfaj Al-Dahmi, the latter identified as the son of a senior Al-Qaeda figure previously killed in a similar drone operation. Both men were believed to be responsible for escorting and securing high-ranking members of the group.

Local residents reported hearing explosions and seeing military aircraft overhead shortly before the strike. The area has long been considered a hotspot for Al-Qaeda activity, and U.S. counterterrorism operations have frequently targeted militants in the region.

Yemeni officials have not yet issued a formal statement, and the U.S. Department of Defense has declined to comment on the operation. The strike underscores ongoing efforts to dismantle extremist networks operating in Yemen’s tribal heartlands.