Three Al-Qaeda operatives including two Saudis were killed and a key leader injured in an airstrike in Yemen's northern province of Saada which lies along the border with Saudi Arabia, the state-owned September 26 website reported on Sunday.

The site quoted the governor of Saada, Faris Manaa, as saying Omer Saleh Batais, one of the most wanted leaders of Al-Qaeda, was injured in the strike in the Wadi Al Abu Jabara area.

"Batais had hid the operatives inside his house," he said.

The two Saudis, not named, were responsible for financing terrorist operations in some Yemeni provinces, he said, pointing out the targeted operatives had tried for more than five years to make the Wadi Al Abu Jabara area as a transit route for militants to infiltrate into the provinces of Marib, Shabwa, Jawf and Abyan.

Yemen's army launched earlier this year a US-backed offensive and drove Al-Qaeda militants out of their strongholds, which were seized during the 2011 uprising in Abyan and Shabwa.

In the meantime, the army is continuing a massive hunt for the remaining operatives across the republic, with tens of militants including senior leaders and cells arrested in recent months.

US drones have largely contributed to targeting many militants, mainly wanted leaders.