MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan, August 07, SPA -- Helicopter gunships and artillery on Tuesday bombarded two militant hide-outs that had been used to launch attacks on security forces in a troubled tribal region near the Afghan border, the Pakistani army said. Spokesman Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad said forces targeted a pair of compounds in Daygan, a village about 15 kilometers (10 miles) west of North Waziristan's main town of Miran Shah after receiving «credible intelligence that militants were present there.» It appeared to be the army's toughest military action inthe lawless border region after a month of escalatingviolence, the Associated Press reported. Cobra helicopter gunships and artillery launched theattack about 5 a.m. (0000 GMT) and it lasted about fourhours, Arshad said. No ground forces were used in theassault, and there was no immediate word on militantcasualties. «The militants used to regroup and prepare attacks onsecurity forces and take refuge at these compounds, sosecurity forces targeted them,» Arshad told Dawntelevision, calling the compounds a «staging post.»--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/473316