By Ali Owaida

MARIB, Yemen

Five suspected al-Qaeda militants were reportedly killed in a U.S. drone attack in eastern Yemen on Sunday, according to a local official.

The drone struck a vehicle carrying five gunmen in Raghwan, north-west of Marib province, killing them on the spot, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak to media.

The U.S. and Yemeni governments have yet to confirm the airstrike.

Al-Qaeda militants have exploited the ongoing conflict between the central government and Houthi rebels to bolster their influence in war-torn Yemen.

The U.S., which regards al-Qaeda branch in Yemen as a persistent threat to the region and its own interests, has used drones to hunt down al-Qaeda leaders in Yemen, which fell into civil war since 2014.