A plot to seize two southern cities and strategic oil and gas facilities in Yemen have been discovered and averted say officials there today.

The plan to kidnap and kill foreigners in those locations was to take place using dozens of al Qaeda militants wearing Yemeni army uniforms in the cities of Mukalla and Ghayl Bawazeer. The attackers had also planned to take control of the Canadaian run Mina al-Dhaba oil terminal in the Mukalla region and another facility in Ghayl Bawazeer.. The terrorists also planned to detonate explosives to blow up pipelines in the area.

The spokesman for Yemen’s prime minister, Rajeh Badi also said they were able to thwart the planned attacks through deployment of extra troops and increased security at the targeted facilities. Yemen also announced the interception of threats against the city of San’a and other locations.

It does not appear that the foiled attacks are the entirety of the planned attacks that led to the closure of embassies in the region however.

The news of the foiled attacks came at the same time as a drone attack in Yemen. This was the fifth such attack by U.S. drones in the last two weeks. This most recent attack killed at least seven al Qaeda members.

As news surfaced of these planned al Qaeda attacks, the U.S. closed embassies throughout the region. 19 of those embassies and consulates remain closed until at least Saturday.