Marib -- A U.S. drone strike in Yemen’s northeastern Marib province has killed a senior field commander of al-Qaeda along with one of his companions, according to local security sources.

The strike targeted a motorcycle carrying Munir Bjlas al-Ahdal, a prominent military leader within al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). 

Witnesses reported that the drone fired a missile that destroyed the vehicle instantly, killing both men on board.

Al-Ahdal was considered one of AQAP’s key military figures, reportedly involved in training and organizing militant units in the region. 

His death marks a significant blow to the group’s operational leadership, which has faced repeated U.S. counterterrorism operations in Yemen over the past decade.

The strike underscores Washington’s continued reliance on drone warfare to target AQAP operatives, despite Yemen’s ongoing civil war and humanitarian crisis. 

Local residents said the sudden attack caused panic in the area, though no civilian casualties were reported. 

Yemeni authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.