US secretly conducts twin missile strikes on Al Qaeda targets in 'politically sensitive' Yemen

Sanaa (Yemen), Dec. 19 (ANI): Signalling an expansion in the Obama administration's fight against the Al-Qaeda, the United States has launched two missile strikes against the terror organization in Yemen, two Pentagon sources have revealed.

Fox News quoted a senior official as saying that the politically sensitive strikes fired on Thursday supplement efforts already under way by the government of Yemen to go after Al Qaeda in the country.

He added that cruise missiles on Obama's orders hit a suspected Al Qaeda training camp north of Sanaa, the capital, and another site, where terrorists were thought to be plotting an attack on the U.S.

The official pointed out that such an operation is very sensitive in Yemen, as the population there doesn't view the West in a very positive light.

"It's very difficult for Yemen to ask the U.S. for help given the nature of their population and its views about the West. And the U.S. doesn't want to compromise their ability to ask for help," the report quoted him, as saying.

Washington has faced similar concerns in Pakistan, where reports of U.S. drone attacks on militants are common, but never acknowledged publicly by the U.S. or by Pakistan.

Meanwhile, a Yemeni official contradicted the US missile strike reports, insisting that the attacks were carried out by Yemen, not the United States.

Yemeni forces also reportedly have targeted Al Qaeda in raids conducted at three locations. (ANI)