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鈥� A daily summary of global reports on security issues.

American missiles targeting suspected militants in Pakistan along the Afghan border killed 18 today, just one day after Pakistani authorities met with a United States diplomat to protest drone strikes in the country.

The US drone campaign has been a serious contributor of tension between the US and Pakistan, and today鈥檚 attacks were the fourth in one week, reports the Associated Press. All of this week鈥檚 attacks took place in North Waziristan, an especially restive area where the Pakistani military has yet to conduct any operations against militants.

Pakistan sees the use of drones as a violation of their sovereignty, but the US argues that drones are vital in combatting militants, including members of Al Qaeda and Taliban, active along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The drone strikes are unpopular in Pakistan for other reasons as well 鈥� many believe they kill mostly civilians, something the US disputes.

Pakistan鈥檚 foreign ministry said yesterday that an unnamed American diplomat was told that drone strikes are 鈥渦nlawful, against international law, and a violation of Pakistan鈥檚 sovereignty,鈥� adding that the attacks are 鈥渦nacceptable.鈥� Pakistan has long been a vocal opponent of the drone strikes.

In 2010 the US conducted 117 drone strikes in Pakistan's border region, according to the Long War Journal. In 2011, that number dropped to 64, and there have been an estimated 33 so far this year, including today鈥檚.

According to AP, despite the Pakistani government's public opposition to the drones, it has surreptitiously backed their use.

鈥淭his is a product of sleeping with the enemy,鈥� wrote a reader in a comment on a story in the Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune聽on a drone strike earlier this week.

The debate over the use of drones is heated in the US as well. In an International Herald Tribune blog post this week, Mark McDonald explores whether drones are worth their cost 鈥� not just militarily, but socially and politically as well.

Drones are seen as more efficient than sending in US troops, Mr. McDonald notes:

But despite all the potential 鈥減luses鈥� to implementing drone strikes, there are many costs, McDonald points out. Targeted killing can have large social and political costs in the country where they take place, and some question whether the potential negatives are worth the security achieved.

Pakistani intelligence said today鈥檚 drone-fired missiles hit three suspected militant hideouts, and that each of the compounds were hit by two missiles. These hideouts are frequently used by militants crossing into Afghanistan, reports AP. An additional 14 people were injured in the attacks.

Pakistan鈥檚 Foreign Office Spokesman Muazzam Khan said today that it has been in contact with the US over the use of drones and that they are reviewing different options, according to Pakistan鈥檚 News International.聽