A drone missile strike on Friday local time targeted a person in Nangahar in Afghanistan, US Central Command revealed on Saturday.

“US military forces conducted an over-the-horizon counter-terrorism operation against an ISIS-K planner,” spokesman Captain Bill Urban said in a statement.

“Initial indications are that we killed the target. We know of no civilian casualties.”

US officials have not released any details about the target but early reports have described the man as the ‘mastermind’ of the deadly airport attack.

Other early reports claimed the man was planning future attacks on US military personnel and civilians in Afghanistan, but wasn’t linked to Thursday’s bombing.

Washington-based defence reporter for Bloomberg Anthony Capaccio said an unnamed official confirmed a Centcom Reaper drone targeted a vehicle the ISIS-K planner was travelling in.

The strike came barely 48 hours after a suicide bomber from the terrorist group ISIS-K – an offshoot of Islamic State – let off a bomb outside Kabul’s international airport on Thursday evening.

After the blast, ISIS-K gunmen opened fire on Afghan civilians and US forces.

The incident marked the first US military deaths in Afghanistan since 2013.

President Joe Biden warned the perpetrators the US will “hunt you down and make you pay”, with Pentagon leaders confirming that they were prepared for whatever the Commander in Chief ordered.

“We will not forgive. We will not forget. I will defend our interests and our people with every measure at my command,” Mr Biden said.

Major General Hank Taylor of the Pentagon told reporters the US “has options there right now” in regards to eliminating hostile targets.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s national security team warned the President more bloodshed would come following the targeted attack on civilians attempting to flee the nation, which has been toppled by the Taliban after the widespread retreat from western powers in the region.

“They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said.

“The next few days will be our most dangerous period to date.”

General Frank McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, has vowed to work “24/7” to hunt down militants responsible.

But with US troops tirelessly trying to evacuate Americans and Afghan refugees stranded in Kabul as the August 31 deadline looms, strikes may have to be pushed back to a later date.

American forces working under heightened security and threats of another attack pressed ahead with the evacuation from Kabul‘s airport Friday, despite yesterday’s attack.

More than 100,000 people have been safely evacuated through the Kabul airport, according to the U.S., but thousands more are struggling to leave in one of history‘s biggest airlifts.

The White House said Friday morning that 8,500 evacuees had been flown out aboard US military aircraft in the previous 24 hours, along with about 4,000 people on coalition flights.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison expressed dismay at the sudden escalation of violence in the region.

Mr Morrison condemned the “evil, the calculated and inhuman attacks” of the terrorist group but noted that, sadly, the blasts were not unexpected.

“It was not unexpected as we previously flagged,” he said. “Even when they are sadly expected … they still make your heart sink.”

The PM lamented the Kabul bombings were undertaken “on the innocent and on the brave,” declaring Australia was now in mourning for the many American and Afghan allies who had been killed.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton echoed similar sentiments and confirmed that the ADF would not be returning to Afghanistan, lamenting any mission to evacuate Aussies from Kabul would simply be too dangerous now.

“I just grieve – like every decent person would – at the loss of life and, in particular for us, the loss of the American lives,” he said on Friday’s edition of the Today Show.

“These are people that have helped literally thousands of Australian citizens, visa holders and permanent residents.

“If we were to continue in that situation, we would have had casualties now as well,” Mr Dutton said, confirming no Australian troops had been killed in the blast. The reality of what’s on the ground at the moment hasn’t made it possible for us to lift more people out.

“We can‘t continue to put our ADF personnel and their lives at risk.”