A senior military official said, on condition of anonymity, that the first strike occurred in the Khund area of the remote Shawal valley, near the border with Afghanistan, killing four militants. 

Minutes after, the official said, the unmanned jet fired two missiles on a compound in the Mangroti area, also in Shawal, killing three more suspected militants. The identities of the targets have not yet been confirmed, as is regular practice following drone strikes.

This was the 18th drone attack in Pakistan's tribal region this year.

The U.S. claims it has increased its caution when carrying out drone attacks, which it claims is the most precise method for eliminating Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. However, human rights organizations and independent think tanks, including the New American Foundation and Bureau of Investigative Journalism UK say that 70 percent of those killed by drones have been civilians.

Independent media are not allowed to visit the Waziristan tribal areas, forcing them to rely on either government functionaries or local tribesmen for information regarding drone attacks.

So far, more than 3,400 people, including women and children, have been killed in more than 400 drone attacks since 2004. 

Pakistan's government is often accused of giving tacit approval to US drone attacks despite repeatedly officially calling its close ally in the so-called war on terror "immediately" halt drone operations.