No civilians were hurt in the attack early Saturday, which followed the suicide bombing Thursday that killed scores of people including 13 US troops at Kabul airport, Major General Hank Taylor told a news conference.

The Pentagon declined to say if the people targeted in the US strike were directly involved in the suicide bombing.

"They were ISIS-K planners and facilitators. That's enough reason there alone," said spokesman John Kirby.

"The fact that two of these individuals are no longer walking on the face of the Earth, that's a good thing," Kirby added.

The suicide bombing, which targeted throngs of Afghans gathered outside the airport in hopes of fleeing Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, opened a deadly new chapter in the drama unfolding as the frantic US evacuation drive approaches its Tuesday deadline for completion.

US officials have said more attacks on the evacuation effort are likely.

The US evacuation of vulnerable Afghans has continued, with Taylor saying there were around 1,400 at the airport Saturday who have been "screened and manifested for flights today."

Altogether, around 117,000 people have been flown out of Afghanistan since August 14, the day before the Taliban seized power.