Pakistani soil continues to be targeted with suspected US missiles, a trend which started under the former US president George W. Bush.

On Friday, suspected US-operated drones fired missiles at Pakistan's troubled tribal belt near the Afghan border killing at least fourteen people.

The tribal regions along the common border with Afghanistan became safe havens for militants after the 2001 US-led invasion which toppled Taliban's regime in Kabul.

Washington alleges that pro-Taliban militants use Pakistani soil to launch attacks on the US-led international forces based in Afghanistan, and has frequently warned that it would take due action should Islamabad fail to curb the insurgency.

Over 30 missiles targeted 'suspected militants hideouts' in northwestern Pakistan last year. The attacks often result in civilian casualties.

The strikes have mounted tension between Islamabad and Washington and have triggered anti-American sentiments among the Pakistani people.

The newly-inaugurated US President Barack Obama is expected to change the unwelcome measures adopted by his predecessor who has left him with two costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a deep-in-recession economy among other things.

The commander-in-chief, however, says he has no intention of cutting down on the counterterrorism operations abroad, emphasizing that Pakistan and Afghanistan are the central fronts in the US war against terrorism.

"The deteriorating situation in the region poses a grave threat to the global security. It's an international challenge of the highest order. That's why we are pursuing a careful review of our policy," he said.