Reports from Washington suggest a U.S. airstrike on a car in Yemen killed six alleged members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network, including a top operative.

One of the dead men was a key suspect in the attack on the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Cole two years ago in Aden. Seventeen U.S. sailors were killed when a small boat packed with explosives rammed into the side of the ship.

Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harethi, a top al-Qaeda commander, is believed to be one of the six al-Qaeda members who were traveling by car in northwest Yemen when their vehicle was hit by a U.S. missile.

Reports say the missile was fired by an unmanned CIA drone aircraft.

Local tribesmen say a military helicopter was hovering near the vehicle shortly before it exploded.

Neither the CIA nor the U.S. Department of Defense will confirm the report.