(CNN)  -- Somalia said a senior al Qaeda operative tied to several attacks in East Africa was killed Monday in a U.S. strike in southern Somalia. Saleh ali Saleh Nabhan, pictured on the FBI's Web site, reportedly was tied to al Qaeda's East Africa operations. Intelligence sources have confirmed to the Somali government that Saleh ali Saleh Nabhan was killed, Information Minister Dahir Mohamud Gelle said Tuesday. "We welcome that attack because those people targeted were murderers, and they are unwanted and unwelcome in Somalia," Gelle said. Nabhan's death will have "a major impact" on al Qaeda's operations in the Horn of Africa, according to one regional analyst.
@highlight
NEW: Analyst calls operative "one of the leading al Qaeda figures in East Africa"
@highlight
Al Qaeda operative Saleh ali Saleh Nabhan killed, Somali official says
@highlight
U.S. special operations forces fired on car from chopper in Somalia, U.S. officials say
@highlight
Officials: Man tied to 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
The @placeholder had been monitoring the situation for days and had intelligence that Nabhan was in the area, the U.S. officials said.