The U.S. military, which did not comment on the deaths, said an unmanned aircraft spotted three people planting a roadside bomb Monday night near Beiji, 155 miles north of Baghdad, and that Navy F-14s were called in. The three left the road site and were traced to a nearby building.

"The individuals were assessed as posing a threat to Iraqi civilians and coalition forces," the military said in a statement. It said the aircraft strafed the target and dropped a precision-guided bomb.

Seven people were killed and four were wounded, Iraqi police Capt. Arkan Jassim said.

AP Television News video showed dozens of people gathered Tuesday near the rubble of the building. Men carried out several bodies, wrapped in carpets, while chanting "there is no God but God!"

Also Tuesday, the U.S. military said Tuesday that none of its helicopters had crashed after searching for a downed aircraft following a report by an Iraqi army soldier that one went down northeast of Baghdad.

The report of a downed helicopter was forwarded to U.S. officials after an Iraqi soldier said he saw ground fire take down an American aircraft, according to the joint coordination center of the Diyala provincial police.

But Maj. Steve Warren, a spokesman for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, said an Iraqi soldier saw a helicopter flying close to the ground and mistakenly thought it had crashed.

"There was no helicopter crash," Warren said.

The military dispatched helicopters and ground crews to search the area but found nothing, Warren said.

The 101st Combat Aviation Brigade could account for all of its aircraft, said Lt. Col. Ed Loomis.

The Diyala police later said an Iraqi soldier reported the downed helicopter and that U.S. forces were alerted.

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.

Copyright 2012 Military.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More Military Headlines

• Socom Refines AC-130J Gunship Plans
• TV: Women Fare Badly in Super Bowl Ads
• Iraq, Afghan Refugees Start Over in US
• Pentagon Seeks More Power From Vehicles
• Underway at Last!