Eight German nationals were among the nine people killed in a U.S. drone strike launched Monday night in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of North Waziristan, reported local media.

Sources in North Waziristan told Xinhua on telephone that the strike took place at about 7:30 p.m. when the U.S. drones fired four missiles, two of which were targeting at a house of a militant leader named Shar Mullah Khan in the Mir Ali area of Miranshah in North Waziristan.

Shar Mullah Khan was arrested four months ago by the Pakistani authorities together with 11 foreign militants in the country's northwest tribal area.

Details about the eight Germans killed in the strike are not immediately available. But it reminds people of the travel alert recently issued by the United States to its citizens of possible terror attacks being planned by terrorists in Europe.

Monday night's strike is the third of its kind since October and the 26th strike since September. On Saturday, the U.S. drones launched two strikes in North Waziristan in which 18 militants were reportedly killed.