The deadly bombing was the latest in a series of attacks believed to be in retaliation for the Pakistani army's ongoing offensive against strongholds of the Islamic militant group. Owais Ghani, North-West Frontier Province governor, announced Sunday that the army would extend its fight against militants to the portion of Waziristan abutting the border with Afghanistan. Ghani's confirmation of the move, which follows weeks of rumors to that effect, didn't say when it would start. The area is the stronghold of the country's most powerful Taliban commander, Baitullah Mehsud. 'The military and law-enforcing agencies have been ordered to carry out a full-scale operation to eliminate these beasts and killers,' Ghani said at a news conference Sunday. Separately, a reported attack Sunday by a drone aircraft in the South Waziristan tribal area was said to have killed as many as five people. A missile fired from the drone hit a vehicle in Laddah, about 40 miles north of the region's main town of Wana, sources said. In mid-May, U.S. officials acknowledged having flown drones in cooperation with the Pakistani government. The reported attack Sunday was the first since May 16. Pakistani analysts, citizens and a growing number of U.S. analysts say the military value of such strikes is usually more than offset by the loss of public goodwill. The highly unpopular program, which has killed many civilians, has been viewed in Pakistan as an affront to the nation's sovereignty. 'They may hit a target, but it has a 10-times-greater negative impact on public opinion,' said Ishtiaq Ahmad, a professor at Islamabad's Quaid-i-Azam University. 'The U.S. and Pakistan need to cooperate and coordinate better on the civilian and the military side.' The U.S. House of Representatives approved a tripling of aid to Pakistan on Thursday to about $1.5 billion a year in a bid to combat militancy through development. The country is now the largest recipient of U.S. aid. Saturday, Pakistan's army stepped up its air offensive with bombing raids on Darra Adam Khel, a militant stronghold near Peshawar. Analysts said the strikes were in retaliation for Friday's killing of an anti-Taliban cleric in a suicide attack in Lahore. Dera Ismail Khan, the site of the market bombing, has a history of sectarian violence, although the motives for Sunday's attack were unclear, and no one immediately claimed responsibility. The device, which exploded around noon, was placed in a handcart parked in the city's Gunj market. Several shops were damaged. Of the eight deaths confirmed by District Coordination Officer Syed Mohsin Shah, witnesses said six occurred at the scene and two in a nearby hospital. By evening, four of the bodies in the hospital morgue still had not been identified. Pakistan is struggling against a growing homegrown Taliban insurgency. The army continues to enjoy relatively strong popular support after more than a month of fighting against militants in the Buner and Dir districts and in the Swat Valley, northwest of Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. But militant groups in the past have undermined support for government offensives by attacking civilian targets, prompting people to call for an end to the violence, even if it's just a short-term fix. This appears to be their strategy again. In recent weeks, militants have launched suicide attacks against a provincial intelligence headquarters in Lahore and a luxury hotel in Peshawar that housed many U.N. staffers, among others. In Peshawar, capital of the North-West Frontier Province, business in the bazaars has slumped as fearful citizens have stayed home. Analysts said unlike previous attacks, which targeted security services or Western-linked hotels, the latest bombing appeared to target civilians indiscriminately. Dera Ismail Khan was hit in 2007 after a controversial security operation against militants holed up in Islamabad's Red Mosque. 'As we see the operation intensify in Swat and beyond, the Taliban is increasing its random violence, perhaps out of frustration or desperation,' said Ahmad, the professor. 'They want to prolong the terror process, hoping to derail the government, spread fear and win more recruits.' What was perhaps surprising, some analysts said, was how long the Taliban took to mount suicide and other attacks after the army began its Swat offensive in late April -- although the Taliban now seems to be making up for lost time. 'In fact, it now appears the backlash is just beginning and that more spectacular and random terror attacks have to be expected,' Ahmad said. Helicopters and jet fighters pounded militant positions over the weekend in the Bajur tribal region, considered a Taliban stronghold. Officials said nine suspects were killed in the attacks, although this could not be verified independently. Ali, a special correspondent, reported from Peshawar; staff writer Magnier reported from New Delhi. 