Marib -- U.S. drones carried out two airstrikes at dawn on Tuesday, targeting sites believed to be used by Al-Qaeda operatives in Yemen’s northeastern Marib province, according to exclusive sources.

The sources said the drone strikes were conducted in the early hours of the morning and targeted a gathering of suspected Al-Qaeda members in a desert area east of the province. The exact number of casualties and the nature of the targets hit remain unclear, amid an absence of official statements regarding the operation.

Marib has witnessed repeated activity by Al-Qaeda elements over the past years, making it one of the key areas included in U.S. counterterrorism operations in Yemen, primarily through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The operation comes as part of Washington’s ongoing efforts to carry out precision drone strikes aimed at degrading the group’s leadership and operational capabilities, and reducing its ability to conduct attacks inside Yemen or abroad.

As of now, neither the Yemeni government nor U.S. authorities have issued any official comments on the details or outcome of the strikes.