The strike took place in the restive Datta Khel region, 25 kilometres west of Miranshah.

"A US drone fired missiles on a house used by militants, killing three of them," a senior security official told AFP.

Another official also confirmed the missile strike and casualties.

It was not immediately clear if there any high-value targets at the compound at the time of the attack.

"Identities of those killed in the strike also could not be immediately known", the official said.