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Explosions, Gunfire
Heard Over Tripoli as U.S. and Allies Continue Military Strikes on Libya
Photo by Reuters
Explosions and gunfire were heard in the Libyan capital of Tripoli
Sunday morning as the U.S. and its allies continued military strikes
against targets of Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi, who on Libyan
state radio said the raids were “acts of terrorism”.
Qaddafi added that all of the country’s people were now carrying
weapons to defend the nation.
“We will not leave our land and we will liberate it,” he said.
He said he has opened up the weapons depots to Libyans, and said
everyone is armed with “automatic weapons, mortars, bombs.”
“We promise you a long war,” he said in the address.
Qaddafi’s comments come as Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S.
Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. and allied forces have effectively
established a no-fly zone over Libya in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the
Press” Sunday morning.
Pentagon officials Sunday were poring over satellite images to
ascertain the damage of Saturday’s military strikes.
Large explosions were heard in Tripoli, possibly a cruise missile
targeting a command and control center, Fox News’ Steve Harrigan
reported. Anti-aircraft tracer fire from pro-Qaddafi forces was seen in
the night sky after an explosion was heard two miles from the compound
housing the Libyan strongman.
Thousands of regime supporters, meanwhile, packed into the sprawling
Bab al-Aziziya military camp in Tripoli where Qaddafi lives to protect
against attacks.
A New York Times report said supporters also packed the interior halls
of Qaddafi’s compound as human shields, offering to protect the leader
against bombings.
British forces have launched air attacks on Libya early Sunday, U.K.
defense officials said.
NATO’s top decision-making body is set to decide whether the alliance
will join in on the strikes in Libya.
Diplomats said NATO’s military planners are due to present final action
plans to the North Atlantic Council on Sunday.
Libya’s state television claims that 48 people have been killed and 150
were wounded during military attacks. The report could not be
independently verified.
Military strikes by the U.S. and its allies against targets in Libya
Saturday “severely disabled” Libyan leader’s Muammar al-Qaddafi’s air
defenses, a U.S. official confirmed to Fox News.
The official also warns they do not know what Qaddafi will do next
following the military strikes.
“It’s too soon to predict what he and his ground forces may do in
response to today’s strikes,” the official told Fox News.
Reuters reports that air strikes by Western forces near Misrata have
targeted a military airbase where Qaddafi loyalists are based.
British forces have launched air attacks on Libya, U.K. defense
officials said. Three RAF Tornado jets have left the U.K., the first of
the British strike force tasked with enforcing a no-fly zone over the
country, Sky News reported.
Despite the blow, Qaddafi remained defiant as he threatened to attack
military and civilian targets in the Mediterranean in retaliation of
international coalition strikes on Libya.
“It is now necessary to open the stores and arm all the masses with all
types of weapons to defend the independence, unity and honor of Libya,”
Qaddafi said in a speech broadcast on Libya state television, according
to Reuters. He also warns that weapons depots are being opened to arm
the Libyan people in defense.
The Pentagon says 114 Tomahawk cruise missiles have been launched from
U.S. and British ships in the Mediterranean, hitting more than 20
Libyan targets along the Mediterranean coastline.
Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, director of the Pentagon’s Joint
Staff, told reporters the Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from one
British submarine and a number of American destroyers and subs. He said
the success of the mission was not immediately clear, adding that
additional attacks would commence later.
The U.S. has at least 11 naval vessels in the Mediterranean, including
three submarines, two destroyers, two amphibious warfare ships and the
USS Mount Whitney, a command-and-control vessel that is the flagship of
the Navy’s 6th Fleet. Also in the area are Navy P-3 and EP-3
surveillance aircraft, officials said.
The U.S. military strikes clear the way for European and other planes
to enforce a no-fly zone designed to ground Qaddafi’s air force and
cripple his ability to inflict further violence on rebels, U.S.
officials said.
President Obama authorized limited military action against Libya
Saturday.
“We cannot stand idly by when a tyrant tells his people there will be
no mercy,” Obama said in a statement from Brazil.
The president also reiterated that the U.S. will not be deploying
ground forces into Libya.
A senior military official tells Fox News that the U.S. will be
targeting air defenses along the Libyan coast in Operation Odyssey
Dawn. There are a total of 25 coalition ships in the Mediterranean,
with the U.S. contributing 11 warships.
“Some of the key first strikes that we are planning to strike of course
would be on the coast because that where the integrated and missile
defense systems are and of course the other air defense related
facilities that we will be going after. That would open up the
environment where we could enforce the no fly zone throughout from east
to west of Libya.”
“The U.S. will be at the front end of this,” the official told Fox News.
A U.S. defense official also said three B-2 stealth bombers flew
non-stop from Missouri and dropped 40 bombs on a major Libyan airfield
Saturday night in an attempt to destroy much of Qaddafi’s air force.
Officials added that U.S. Air Force fighter jets and U.S. Marine Corps
Harrier jump jets also participated.
French fighter jets fired the first shots at Qaddafi’s troops,
launching the broadest international military effort since the Iraq war
in support of an uprising that had seemed on the verge of defeat. The
French military says warplanes have carried out four air strikes,
destroying several armored vehicles of pro-Qaddafi forces, according to
AFP.
Libyan state television is reporting that “crusader enemies” have
bombarded civilian targets in Tripoli, Benghazi, and Misrata, according
to Reuters.
In the hours before the no-fly zone over Libya went into effect,
Qaddafi sent warplanes, tanks and troops into Benghazi, the rebel
capital and first city to fall to the rebellion that began Feb. 15.
In an open letter, Qaddafi warned: “You will regret it if you dare to
intervene in our country.”
Saturday’s emergency meeting involved 22 leaders and top officials,
including Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa and U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and the foreign ministers of Jordan,
Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. It was the largest international
military action since the beginning of the Iraq war, launched almost
exactly eight years ago.
Earlier Saturday, a plane was shot down over the outskirts of Benghazi,
sending up a massive black cloud of smoke. An Associated Press reporter
saw the plane go down in flames and heard the sound of artillery and
crackling gunfire.
Before the plane went down, journalists heard what appeared to be air
strikes from it. Rebels cheered and celebrated at the crash, though the
government denied a plane had gone down -- or that any towns were
shelled on Saturday.
The fighting galvanized the people of Benghazi, with young men
collecting bottles to make gasoline bombs. Some residents dragged bed
frames and metal scraps into the streets to make roadblocks.
“This city is a symbol of the revolution, it’s where it started and
where it will end if this city falls,” said Gheriani.
At a news conference in the capital, Tripoli, the government spokesman
read letters from Qaddafi to Obama and others involved in the
international effort.
“Libya is not yours. Libya is for the Libyans. The Security Council
resolution is invalid,” he said in the letter to Sarkozy, British Prime
Minister David Cameron, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.
To Obama, the Libyan leader was slightly more conciliatory: “If you had
found them taking over American cities with armed force, tell me what
you would do.”
China expressed “regret” over punishing airstrikes by the U.S. and
European nations against Libya to enforce a U.N. no-fly zone.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu says China “consistently
disagrees with the use of force in international relations” and
expressed “regret” over the Saturday attacks. In a statement posted on
the ministry’s website, Jiang said China “hopes the situation in Libya
resumes stability as soon as possible” in order to avoid escalation of
a military conflict.
The Associated Press and NewsCore contributed to this report.
Read it with additional stories, comments and links at Foxnews
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