WASHINGTON, Feb 6: The United States is operating a secret base out of Saudi Arabia and used it to launch a CIA drone strike in 2011 that killed US-born Al Qaeda leader Anwar Al Awlaki, according to a media report.

The Washington Post on Wednesday said the base was set up two years ago as part of US officials’ effort to ramp up search for members of the militant group.

The disclosure is the latest on Washington’s controversial drone strike policy ahead of White House counter-terrorism chief John Brennan’s Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday over his nomination to become CIA director.

White House officials had asked the daily to refrain from revealing the strategic base in the oil nation, citing concerns that the information could undermine the hunt, the Post said in its story.

“The Post learned on Tuesday night that another news organisation was planning to reveal the location of the base, effectively ending an informal arrangement among several news organisations that had been aware of the location for more than a year,” it wrote.—Reuters