Al Qaeda-Linked Militants Claim They Launched Rocket at U.S. Embassy in Yemen, Wounding Guards

A rocket was launched toward the U.S. embassy in Sanaa, Yemen, by Al Qaeda-linked militants Saturday, wounding several guards; the attack was in retaliation for a purported U.S. drone strike in a northern province of Yemen the day before, Reuters reported, citing the splinter group.

More from Reuters:

The U.S. State Department said it had no indication that the embassy was the target of the attack and that none of its staff were wounded.

The rocket landed 200 meters from the heavily fortified embassy, hitting members of the Yemeni special police force who guard the site. At least two were wounded, police said.

The attacker fired the rocket from a car using a M72 light anti-tank weapon before speeding away, a police source told Reuters.

Several hours after the attack, Ansar al-Sharia, an affiliate of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), said on its Twitter account it had targeted the embassy with a rocket, injuring several guards and damaging a vehicle.

The group said the attack was revenge for a drone strike on Friday that had seriously wounded children in the northern al Jawf province.

Houthi rebels attacked the home of Yemen's intelligence chief in Sanaa earlier on Saturday, Reuters reported, adding that Sanaa has been in turmoil since Shiite rebels took over much of the capital last week.

Read the entire Reuters report here.

(H/T: Drudge Report)