Yemen says tribesmen kill 10 Houthi rebels

Pro-government Yemen tribesmen have killed 10 Houthi rebels in the Arab Gulf country after they tried to take up positions in homes in a northern town, the interior ministry said on Thursday.

It said that members of the Shoulan tribe killed the rebels in a barrage of rifle fire. Houthi rebels revolted against the government since 2004, complaining of social, economic and religious marginalization.

US Yemen strategy

Meanwhile, a top U.S. official said the United States should consider targeting al-Qaeda extremists in Yemen with armed drones, air strikes, or covert operations.

"Most options ought to be on the table," short of invasion by U.S. forces, said Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin.

"It's everything from physical actions that could be accomplished in terms of use of drones or air attacks, it could be clandestine actions," said the Democratic lawmaker from Michigan said on a conference call with reporters after a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Yemen's capacity to combat extremism has emerged as a hot button political issue in Washington following the thwarted Christmas Day attack on a U.S. airliner heading for Detroit, which was allegedly planned in the Arab country.

Asked whether the United States would act with or without Yemen's approval, the top Senate ally of U.S. President Barack Obama replied "it would be expected that they would either agree privately, or accept without objection privately."

But the senator, speaking by telephone from Dubai airport, underlined that "if we really had high-value targets" then Washington would regard it as its right under international law to "unilaterally go after that target."

It's everything from physical actions that could be accomplished in terms of use of drones or air attacks, it could be clandestine actions

U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Carl Levin