WASHINGTON — The U.S. launched a military airstrike in Somalia to go after a group of terrorist suspects, defense officials said today.

"It was a deliberate, precise strike against a known terrorist and his associates," one U.S. military official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the record.

He gave few other details, except to say the targets were believed staying in building known to be used regularly by terrorist suspects.

In the strike early Monday, Somali police said three missiles hit a Somali town held by Islamic extremists, destroying a home and seriously injuring eight people.

The strike follows one last year in which the U.S. shelled suspected al-Qaida targets in Somalia, using gunfire from a U.S. Navy ship off the shore of the lawless East African nation.