With widespread reports of US drones looming in the skies over Waziristani villages, sewing panic, it comes as little surprise that tonight one of the drones fired on a house in just outside of Miramshah, in Pakistan’s North Waziristan Agency, killing two and injuring three others.

The house, which security officials say belonged to a local tribesman, is just the latest of dozens of US strikes in the border agencies, which CIA Director Michael Hayden said in September were meant to “tickle” militant groups in the area and provoke a reaction.

Pakistan’s government has condemned the strikes publicly, but is reported to have privately reached a “tacit agreement” with the United States regarding them. Pakistan has also claimed it is considering shooting down the drones, but there has been no indication that they have attempted to do so.

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