A drone strike on a residential house in Yemen killed three men and wounded two women, officials confirmed on Sunday.

Security officials told AFP that the drone, reportedly targeting al-Qaeda "militants," struck the property in Marib in the south-central province of the country.

The United States is the only country operating drones over Yemen, though the U.S. government rarely acknowledges the covert program. Since 2002, there have been 65-77 confirmed U.S. drone strikes in Yemen killing approximately 339-494 people. The strikes came after a short pause in July—the only month this year where there have been no targeted killings in Yemen.

According to the official, the strikes came after fighters with the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) reportedly abducted and executed 15 soldiers in the southeastern province of Hadramawt.

Critics agree that rather than deter rebel groups, drone warfare has bolstered both support and recruiting for the fighters because of the mounting civilian casualties, or "collateral damage," caused by the attacks.