A US drone strike today destroyed the house of Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud's father-in-law in the lawless tribal belt, killing one of wives of the top militant leader and three other persons.
The missile struck the house of Malik Ikramuddin, located near Makeen in South Waziristan Agency, at 12.45 am local time, officials were quoted by TV news channels as saying.
One of the officials said it was not clear whether Mehsud himself was in the house at the time of the attack. The Tehrik-e-Taliban chief used to visit the house very often.
Pakistani intelligence and army officials were quoted as saying that the missile strike has killed Ikramuddin's daughter, the second wife of Mehsud. They said three other men also died in the incident.
Mehsud's associates would not confirm the report, but said a woman was among the dead. Ikramuddin himself escaped unhurt, witnesses claimed.
Today's attack was the latest in a series by US predator drones which have been hunting for Mehsud and other top Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives in the tribal region.
Mehsud has been blamed by Pakistani authorities for the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the army has amassed a huge force to launch an offensive on his stronghold in Waziristan.