On 6 August 2017, The New York Times reported that, about 2,000 Yemeni troops, supported by dozens of advisers from the United Arab Emirates and a handful of US special forces personnel providing intelligence and planning assistance, launched an offensive against AQAP militants occupying parts of Shabwa Province the preceding week. In addition the US is providing air-to-air refueling and aerial reconnaissance for forces involved in the operation.
