Islamabad, Jan 28 (IANS): At least seven people were killed and three others injured Wednesday evening when a US drone launched a strike in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region of North Waziristan.

The US pilot-less plane fired two missiles at a house in the Shawal area of the restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan, Xinhua news agency reported.

The strike completely destroyed the compound and killed seven people and left three others injured.

Residents of the area rushed to the site and pulled out the bodies and those injured from the debris.

The identities of those killed and wounded have not been known yet. However, the reports said some suspicious people were residing in the compound for a couple of months.

The drones kept on hovering over the area after the strike, creating panic among the residents.

This is the fourth US drone strike in the country's tribal areas since the beginning of this year. To date at least 28 people have been killed in such strikes in the area.

The attack came at a time when Pakistan's armed forces are engaged in an extensive operation, codenamed "Zarb-e-Azb" (sharp strike) against the militants in the region, once believed to be a stronghold of local and foreign militants.

According to official figures, over 2,100 militants have been killed so far in the military operation that was launched in June last year.