The U.S. military says its airstrikes have killed five al-Qaida operatives in Yemen.

Central Command said Friday the airstrikes were carried out on Nov. 20 in the central Bayda province. It says those killed included Mujahid al-Adani, an al-Qaida leader in the neighboring province of Shabwa.

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has long been seen by U.S. officials as the most dangerous offshoot of the global network founded by Osama bin Laden.

Yemen was plunged into civil war nearly three years ago. Al-Qaida and an Islamic State affiliate have exploited the chaos to expand their presence.