A US drone strike has killed five suspected members of al-Qaeda in central Yemen, according to local news media and a security official.

Yemen Ajel, a local news website, reported that the drone fired three consecutive missiles at 12:30am local time on Sunday, or 22:30 GMT, on Saturday at a car reportedly transporting weapons to Marib province.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a military official told AFP news agency that the car belonged to a local leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

The strike comes 24 hours after a similar raid killed three suspected AQAP operatives in the southern Shabwa province, which has been a central target of the US military.

The US has stepped up its use of drone strikes under President Donald Trump, with the Pentagon confirming more than 70 strikes since February 28.

The increased bombing comes three months after a botched American raid against AQAP left a number of civilians.

The raid on Yakla, an impoverished and desolate town, resulted in the deaths of at least 16 civilians, including women and children.

The January 29 raid attracted widespread media attention because one Navy SEAL was also killed in what marked the first operation of its kind authorised by Trump.

-Agencies