ADEN: A presumed US drone strike in south Yemen on Sunday killed five suspected members of al-Qaeda and three civilians, a security official said.

Earlier, a local official gave a toll of three suspects killed in the strike in the Al-Said area of Shabwa province.

The vehicle targeted was carrying five suspected al-Qaeda members, all of whom were killed by a missile, the security official said.

Three civilians who went to their aid were killed when a second missile struck, the official said.

Washington has sharply intensified its air war against the Jihadists since President Donald Trump took office in January.

The Pentagon said on April 3 that it had carried out more than 70 strikes against Jihadist targets in Yemen since February 28.

Before Sunday’s attack, two strikes overnight on Tuesday killed five suspected members of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.