Sanaa, December 23 (RHC)-- At least four people have been killed in a U.S. drone strike in central Yemen, a security official says. The people lost their lives after their vehicle was targeted by the unmanned aircraft near the border of the Yemeni provinces of Bayda and Shabwah on Tuesday evening, the unnamed official said.

Washington carries out drone attacks in Yemen and several other Muslim countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. The U.S. claims the drones target al-Qaeda militants, but local sources say civilians have been the main victims of the attacks.

U.S. drone strikes in Yemen have continued alongside the Saudi military aggression against the Arab country. Saudi Arabia began its attacks on Yemen in late March in a bid to undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement and bring fugitive former Yemeni president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, back to power.

According to the United Nations, Saudi Arabia’s assaults against Yemen have so far claimed the lives of more than 7,500 people and injured over 14,000 others.