A US drone launched a pair of missiles at a car in Aspalga Village, North Waziristan overnight, killing three suspected militants and injuring three other apparent bystanders in the tiny village outside of Miranshah.

The attack was the first US drone strike since President Obama’s Afghan escalation speech, at which time he is also said to have quietly approved an escalation of US strikes against Pakistani territory.

It is just the latest of several dozen air strikes against Pakistan’s tribal areas in recent years. President Obama has dramatically increased the rate and severity of the attacks since taking office.

The latest reports have the US looking to expand its drone strikes outside of the tribal areas and into Balochistan and the rest of Pakistan. The Pakistani government has rejected the notion of expanding the strikes.

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