American forces conducted a new ground raid against al Qaeda’s Yemen branch, killing seven suspected militants, US Central Command said Monday.

The operation targeted a compound believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen’s Marib governorate, US officials said in a statement. The suspected militants were killed ‘‘through a combination of small arms fire and precision airstrikes,’’ the statement said.

The raid takes place as the Trump administration intensifies counterterrorism operations in Yemen, where al Qaeda’s most virulent offshoot is believed to be plotting attacks against the West. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump approved another raid that resulted in the death of one Navy SEAL and a number of civilians.

In recent months, US Special Operations forces have partnered with troops from the United Arab Emirates to try to track down militant fighters arrayed across different areas of south and central Yemen. The United States has also dramatically expanded the pace of air strikes against the extremist group.

Washington Post