“US drones fired four missiles on a compound in Spinwam, 40 kilometres (25 miles) northeast of Miranshah,” said a local intelligence official early Friday. Miranshah is the main town in North Waziristan tribal district.

“Twenty-one people were also wounded in the attack, which took place at around 4:30 am (2030 GMT),” he added.

A security official in Peshawar said separately that the drones fired five missiles at a house, killing seven people.

It was the first missile strike to hit the North Waziristan tribal district since March 17 when a drone attack killed 39 people, including many civilians, causing a diplomatic furore over the unpopular US campaign.