CIA planning drone strike campaign against al-Qaida in Yemen
The CIA is taking a cue from drone operations in Pakistan and is planning a similar program against al-Qaida militants in Yemen, the Los Angeles Times reported.
CIA attacks from Predator drones will bolster efforts by U.S. special operations forces, which have conducted manned airstrikes, drone strikes and small raids in Yemen, the Times said.
The Associated Press reported that the U.S. is building a CIA air base in the Persian Gulf region to target Yemen's terrorists, but a CIA spokesman declined to comment on the report.
The Times reported that a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "There's no question that we're trying to look at a lot of different ways to make something happen in Yemen."
The official said the al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen "is now the most capable, most imminent threat to the U.S.," the Los Angeles Times reported.
Read more about the CIA's plans for using drones in Yemen by the Los Angeles Times.
