The U.S. will keep targeting extremists in Yemen even though the temporary pullout of American personnel there will hamper counterterrorism efforts, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
The U.S. personnel, who have been coordinating attacks against terrorist targets with the Yemeni government, were temporarily withdrawn over the weekend because of the deteriorating security situation, Earnest said.
The country's Shiite Houthi leader called for a wider offensive against forces loyal to President Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi, and rebel troops on Sunday advanced into the country's third-largest city.