US targets al-Qaeda in Yemen for second day

US warplanes pounded al-Qaeda targets in Yemen for a second straight day on Friday, killing eight militants, security and tribal sources said, as Washington steps up its air war against the extremists.

The Pentagon said the past two days had seen it carry out "somewhere over 30" strikes against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), conducted in partnership with the Yemeni government.

"This is part of a plan to go after this very real threat and ensure that they are defeated and denied the opportunity to plot and carry out terrorist attacks from ungoverned spaces," Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said, noting America would continue to attack al-Qaeda

"While we talk a lot about ISIS (the Islamic State group), AQAP is the organisation that has more American blood on its hands," Davis said.

The increased bombing comes a little more than a month after a botched American raid against al-Qaeda left multiple civilians and a US Navy SEAL dead.

The 29 January raid was the first authorised by President Donald Trump, and he drew criticism after he blamed "the generals" for having "lost" Navy SEAL Ryan Owens.

Al-Qaeda has exploited a power vacuum created by two years of war between Yemen's government and Shia rebels who control the capital to consolidate its presence, particularly in the south and east.

It has published 16 issues of an online magazine called Inspire urging individuals to attack the West.

The group has about 2,000 to 3,000 members, a US defence official said.

Friday's attacks hit similar targets as on Thursday - including weapons caches, fighters and military equipment.

While we talk a lot about ISIS (the Islamic State group), AQAP is the organisation that has more American blood on its hands. - Jeff Davis

According to Yemeni officials, at least 12 suspected militants were killed in Thursday's strikes.

That would bring the total jihadist death toll to at least 20 over the two days.

On Friday, US warplanes hit three houses in the Yashbam Valley before dawn, one of them the home of al-Qaeda's Shabwa province commander Saad Atef, tribal sources said.

Jihadists retaliated with anti-aircraft fire, security officials and tribal sources said, adding that US helicopters took part in the operation.

One resident said it had been a "terrifying night".

Successive American administrations have kept up a drone war against al-Qaeda in Yemen since soon after the 11 September attacks in 2001.