Yemen: US gives help in new assault on al-Qaida

Yemeni warplanes and troops backed by heavy artillery waged a four-front assault on al-Qaida militants Tuesday, trying to uproot their hold in the south in an offensive Yemeni officials said was for the first time being directly guided by American troops at a nearby airbase.

The central US role in the operation would be a significant stepping up of American-Yemeni cooperation against al-Qaida's branch here, which is accused of a string of attempted attacks against the United States. (AP)