The night sky over the Mediterranean coast of Libya lit up on Saturday night as operation Odyssey Dawn got into gear. 110 cruise missiles were fired as part of the military response from the USA, Britain and other European nations. TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy Air strikes also took place, with the French firing the first missiles around Benghazi in the east. In Tripoli some people took to the streets amidst heavy anti-aircraft fire A Pentagon military spokesman gave details of the intentions of the exercise and the intended targets. He said the initial aim was firstly to impair Gaddafi’s military capability in the east, particularly around Benghazi, with the French playing the major role. U.S and British missiles had been aimed at destroying Libya’s air capability, by targeting around 20 radar and anti-aircraft sites. Meanwhile British fighter jets had targeted strategic sites around the capital Tripoli. The attacks are aimed at enforcing the UN Security Council’s no-fly zone mandate, and are the most significant international military effort since the invasion of Iraq. US President Obama said the use of force had not been his first choice, and again said he will not send ground forces. Colonel Gaddafi said the strikes are unjustified, calling the action “colonial aggression”.
6385 17095 5790 945 520 14120 13525 12165 8170 14800 5620 22110 18030 8085 15905 1880 9700 7320 7575 20410 17350 7660 16670 15225 12080 10210 19560 8680 16075 3495 19815 18200 11060 1540 14290 4685 17010 8850 4770 3410 13100 13355 775 12505 21515 20495 13950 7235 6555 22875 1455 8425 8595 6895 3920 21175 1710 1370 21770 21940 7915 13270 9105 4515 20325 20070 13865 860 11230 19390 14926 646 6001 23596 21896 21131 15606 6086 10591 5576 4131 18666 18496 20026 15436 3536 221 21216 476 4386 8636 4981 6511 19601 15861 12971 561 19261 11101 23001 14841 16371 23341 13481 13821 1496 1241 5066 19771 17391 17561 22406 15776 17646 10251 18836 2091 7361 306 14161 2516 21046 18241 20961 18156 20196 8296 10081 4811 986 14246 23681 21556 3451 13311 11526 17986 15011 3791 10506 5491 17476 12376 5661 18581 14586 4301 6766 23766 10676 9486 9741 7106 21641 11186 5406 15521 22746 7021 136 8041 2346 22236 13141 19431 7956 23256 1751 9401 14501 22831 13991 14416 22916 21301 19091 12801 5236 3111 10421 12121 16031 11441 9656 16456 391 8466 20791 9911 21811 11271 11356 20111 3026 816 8976 16626 3621 20366 11951 7786 2686 2261 2856 13906 4896 1666 20876 14671 12631 1411 1836 14076 4641 731 7701 16881 18921 18326 9146 21726 8381 1326 20536 12206 10166 22151 22491 21981 5746 17051 19856 11866 16966 8551 15351 17816 19006 20451 19176 13736 14331 21471 18751 17136 6341 22321 6171 10336 7616 6596 13056 8211 4216 10761 23936 15181 23171 13651 22066 7531 9061 5831 2601 19516 6256 6426 1581 9231 23426 5916 4471 19686 11611 17306 12036 9996 16286 7871 15946 23511 12546 16796 17221 15691 7446 8806 10931 9571 2941 6681 9316 4046 13226 16541 3281 12291 4726 14756 2176 12886 20706 20281 16201 11696 5151 22576 8721 2431 12461 11781 7276 13396 22661 13566 11016 8891 17731 19941 15266 1156 19346 901 16116 2006 18071 9826 17901 1071 3196 18411 15096 16711 5321 1921 6936 6851 3366 4556 23086 51 7191 12716 3961 10846 3706 20621 8126 21386 23851 3876 2771 9894 2839 18904 2159 20264 12444 13549 7684 10489 6919 17034 20774 15079 19244 1394 10659 3349 23324 10574 14994 7174 20434 3519 21624 11679 5389 18394 8789 8704 799 15419 884 204 8619 13039 6749 6834 14909 10999 14824 23579 16694 1309 18819 15589 9044 1989 19754 23409 23494 22984 19669 20179 19924 19414 23664 15759 7769 19329 8874 4624 11849 18224 15164 21709 22389 11254 14654 4114 5559 16439 13804 13464 8534 23154 12274 18139 20859 544 21794 22559 7344 14229 20604 10064 17714 9469 17204 6664 17629 1649 23069 3689 21964 21539 15504 11594 6409 20094 2329 21114 7259 3434 22814 12699 10404 13889 7939 17969 23749 6154 19499 18309 1139 16949 9724 8959 7004 34 1819 13294 15249 2074 4879 16354 21199 7514 16609 10234 2924 15334 18054 16269 8449 4964 10319 21879 14059 7599 21454 3264 8364 12784 5984 8024 1479 969 5134 10744