Tuesday October 23 2:47 PM ET

U.S. Plane Hits Near Afghan Home for Elderly

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. warplane inadvertently dropped a 1,000-pound bomb in an open field near a home for the elderly in Afghanistan (news - web sites), Pentagon (news - web sites) spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said Tuesday.

"At 9:05 Sunday, a U.S. Navy (news - web sites) FA-18 Hornet missed its intended target and inadvertently dropped a 1,000-pound bomb in an open field, an open area near a senior citizens home outside Herat, Afghanistan,'' Clarke said at a briefing.

Clarke said the intended target was a vehicle storage facility at the Herat Army barracks, which was about 300 feet from the facility. Early indications are that weapons guidance systems malfunctioned, she said.

"We regret any loss of civilian life,'' Clarke said.