Sana, Nov 19 (IANS): At least four militants of the Yemen-based Al Qaeda offshoot were killed in a US drone strike in Yemen's southeastern province of Hadramout Tuesday.

"The US drone fired two missiles and destroyed a car belonging to the Al Qaeda militants in Ghayl Bawazir city in southeastern province of Hadramout," a local security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Local residents told Xinhua that fire engulfed the vehicle soon after the attack and there were casualties.

A powerful explosion was heard after the attack that took place in the outskirts of Ghayl Bawazir, some 30 km east of Mukalla, the capital city of Hadramout, according to the residents.

Another security official confirmed the air strike, saying the identities of the dead militants were immediately unclear. No Al Qaeda member could immediately be reached for comment.

Washington has escalated its drone strike on the al-Qaida network in Yemen since President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi took office in February 2012 after a UN-backed power transfer deal eased former President Ali Abdullah Saleh from power after a year of mass protests.

His administration has since intensified efforts to crack down on the militants as part of a US-backed anti-terrorism campaign. Dozens of militants were killed by US drone strikes in the campaign.

Yemeni troops defeated Al Qaeda fighters in the southern province of Abyan and recaptured their strongholds in May 2012 after a year-long battle.