Officials: Taliban Boss's Wife Killed

Two Pakistani intelligence and one army official said Wednesday that a U.S. missile strike in northeastern Pakistan had killed a wife of top Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

Mehsud's associates would not confirm the report, although they did say a woman was killed in the missile strike in South Waziristan, part of the lawless tribal region along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan and where Taliban and al Qaeda leaders are believed to be hiding.

Two intelligence and one army official, who all spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said the strike had destroyed the home of Mehsud's father-in-law, Akramud Din, and that two people had been killed, including one of Mehsud's two wives.

One of the intelligence officials said agents were trying to get details about the second person who died.

A Mehsud family member, Muhammad Iqbal Mehsud, told CBS News' Sami Yousafzai by telephone that the house was attacked by a U.S. unmanned aircraft, and that the Taliban leader's wife was "seriously injured". He said he couldn't confirm or deny reports of her death, but was adamant that Mehsud himself was not in the house during the strike.

"About 40 people were gathered for a family function at the home, only one room was struck by the drone missile," said Iqbal Mehsud. "A total of five were injured."

A local Taliban commander, Muhammed Islam Jar, also told Yousafzai Mehsud was not in the house during the strike.

The U.S. Embassy had no comment. Washington generally does not acknowledge being responsible for such strikes.

A senior Pakistani security official told CBS News' Farhan Bokhari on Wednesday that their reports also indicated Mehsud was not present during the strike.

"This attack, however, tells you we are getting closer and closer to Baitullah Mehsud," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Our intelligence is improving rapidly. This latest attack gives us a lot of confidence. Today, it's his wife, tomorrow it may be Mehsud himself."

Mehsud has suspected links to a number of prominent attacks in the country, including the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in December 2007, reports Bokhari.

Pakistan's air force and the military have carried out several attacks targeting Mehsud, and the army has said it is preparing for a major offensive against Mehsud and his network in the tribal region.

Wednesday morning's attack is the latest in a series of suspected U.S. missile strikes in recent weeks targeting Mehsud.

Pakistani and U.S. officials say the missiles have killed several al Qaeda operatives in the North and South Waziristan tribal regions where Pakistan has deployed more than 100,000 troops to flush out militants and their local supporters.

Pakistan has publicly opposed such attacks, saying they were counterproductive and were angering local residents. Islamabad has asked Washington to provide it with access to the latest technology to it so that Pakistan's own military could carry out such attacks.