SANAA, Yemen

An adviser to the Yemeni defense minister was assassinated in the central Marib province on Tuesday, according to a military source.

Gunmen opened fire on Brigadier General Mohammad al-Jaradi as he was driving to Marib city, the source said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

His driver was also killed in the attack.

The Yemeni Defense Ministry confirmed the assassination, saying he was killed in a terrorist operation.

There was no claim of responsibility for the assassination.

Al-Jaradi is a prominent military figure in Yemen. He was a founder of the Yemeni army in 2015.

The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels share control of the oil-rich Marib province.

Yemen has been engulfed by violence and instability since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels captured much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report