Western allies unleashed a series of dramatic air and missile strikes against Muammar Gaddafi's military as international leaders mounted the biggest intervention in the Arab world since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
As night fell the United States launched Tomahawk missiles at Libyan targets from a warship stationed in the Mediterranean, in what the Pentagon called "Operation Odyssey Dawn." At the same time Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed that British forces were in action "over Libya".
The strikes took place barely 48 hours after the UN Security Council passed a resolution authorising the use of "all necessary force" to protect civilians from Gaddafi's military surge. The patience of the international community finally ran out when Gaddafi's troops pounded the rebel stronghold of Benghazi early yesterday, hours after the Libyan dictator had promised a full ceasefire and invited foreign officials into his country to monitor it.
French warplanes attack tanks and US launches cruise missiles, as international military intervention begins – Al Jazeera