(VOVworld) – A US airstrike in Yemen killed 41 suspected al Qaeda militants and 16 civilians on Sunday. The airstrike targeted the houses of three tribal chiefs linked to Al-Qaeda.

Debris and smoke rise after an airstrike hit an army base, in Sanaa, Yemen.(Photo: AP)

US helicopters also struck a school, mosque, and a medical facility used by Al-Qaeda militants. The military operation  was the first conducted by the US against jihadists in Yemen since President Donald Trump took office on January 20. Under Barack Obama adminstration, the US stepped up its use of drone strikes against suspected jihadists in Yemen and other countries including Afghanistan.