June 9th, 2011
09:46 AM ET

U.S. ramps up secret campaign against militants in Yemen

U.S. military-led air operations in Yemen have recently resumed after a pause of some months, a U.S. military official with knowledge of the Yemen campaign told CNN Thursday.

He said the pause was because the United States didn't have faith in the information available "to conduct targeting against individuals in Yemen during that time frame." He could not say what led to the improved intelligence picture.

He also said the United States believes it likely killed Abu Ali Al-Harithi, a midlevel al Qaeda operative, in an airstrike in southern Yemen in recent days. But he cautioned it is "very difficult" to confirm the killing.

Nine Islamic militants and four Yemeni soldiers were killed in clashes overnight in the militant-held town of Zinjibar, a senior security official loyal to the Yemeni government said.

"The government is still trying to retake the governmental sites that were occupied by the militants," the official said.

The country has been wracked for weeks by anti-government demonstrations in big cities, fighting between the government and tribal forces and the activities of Islamic insurgents.

President Ali Abdullah Saleh and other senior Yemeni officials were wounded on Friday when the mosque at the presidential compound was attacked during Friday prayers.

Saleh is undergoing medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Tareq Al-Shami, the ruling party spokesmen, said the president will be back in Yemen "within days and is now in very good health."

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Filed under: Military • World • Yemen
soundoff (14 Responses)
  1. Joey Isotta-Fraschini

    I like it when the USA is strong militarily and acts in its own best interests.
    Bravo Obama!

    June 9, 2011 at 9:54 am | Report abuse |
    • Gary Johndro

      YABBA-DABBA-DOO. I'm with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      June 9, 2011 at 11:19 am | Report abuse |
  2. jjheinis

    America....The world's self appointed world policeman. Can we afford it. No. Should we do it. Why? But it is done anyway. as always. Plenty of money for war. Can't afford health insurance for all Americans though. Guns will win over butter anytime.

    June 9, 2011 at 10:03 am | Report abuse |
    • RUFFNUTT

      Good grief jjheinis, you said it all!!! Thank you.

      June 9, 2011 at 11:38 am | Report abuse |
  3. saywhat

    @jjheinis
    well said.
    NJ police has run out of bullets. Supplies are diverted to war fronts.Would you believe this?
    We have gone both financially & morally bankrupt engaging in military conflicts all over. Iraq & Afghanistan seem to have taught us no lessons. Those thugs up on the Hill are now itching to go into Libya and then perhaps in Syria & Iran, pushing President Obama towards more disasters of our own making.
    What a sorry mess we are making of ourselves.
    Talks of US defaulting on foreign loans are now surfacing and China has isued a strict warning on any such attempt.They are our largest lenders.
    Americans have to wake up to reality & stop this madness before its too late.

    June 9, 2011 at 10:20 am | Report abuse |
  4. Joey Isotta-Fraschini

    Our children are fat from too much free butter.

    June 9, 2011 at 10:20 am | Report abuse |
  5. Awan A'Fuqya

    Shhhhhhhh...don't tell anyone about the US action in Yemen...shhhhhh...it's a sekrit!

    June 9, 2011 at 10:22 am | Report abuse |
  6. Tom Davis

    Can we make it to 2012 at this rate. Ron Paul is not so crazy now is he? This is called nation building.

    June 9, 2011 at 10:46 am | Report abuse |
  7. CSnSC

    Its confusing, in Yemen they are insurgents but in Syria and Egypt they are called heros and freedom fighters. Whats the difference ?

    June 9, 2011 at 11:25 am | Report abuse |
  8. RUFFNUTT

    Now Barack Obama's trying to save the day for this cursed Ali Abdullah Saleh any way he can. Anything to keep this stooge in power!!!

    June 9, 2011 at 11:26 am | Report abuse |
  9. George Patton

    Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton both nauseate me to no end, preaching "freedom and democracy" and bombing the people of Yemen out of existance at the same time. Have they no decency in them at all? Evidently not!!!

    June 9, 2011 at 11:31 am | Report abuse |
  10. Cesar The Chorizo Champ of Chihuahua

    Good post RuffNutt,thank you.

    June 9, 2011 at 11:49 am | Report abuse |
  11. Cesar The Chorizo Champ of Chihuahua

    The true reason we're bombing Yemen is to try to kill off as many members of the opposition to the Saleh regime as possible. Barack Obama does not want to lose another one of his right-wing stooges in the Middle East and will stop at nothing to save this curse,no matter who or how many get slaughtered along the way!!!

    June 9, 2011 at 1:08 pm | Report abuse |
  12. sam

    America is double standard............Same on them..First suporrting rebel and now going againts them just saying that they are Alqaeda..

    June 12, 2011 at 5:18 am | Report abuse |
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