In a statement late Thursday, President Trump said he ordered the counterterrorism operation in Yemen "that successfully eliminated" the leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
The U.S. military has been waging periodic drone strikes against al-Qaida in Yemen for years. A series of airstrikes and a ground raid have intensified the campaign over the past month.
The agreement, which would see the rebels withdraw from parts of the capital in exchange for concessions, could defuse a political crisis that has threatened the stability of a key U.S. ally.
Yemen has once again been plunged into chaos as rebels reportedly have taken the presidential palace. The U.S., Saudi Arabia and Iran all have an important stake in the troubled country.
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