A US warship fired Tomahawk cruise missiles into Libya on Saturday, targeting Muammar Gaddafi's air defence sites, a senior US military official said.
The US engaged with "command and control logistics (and) cruise missiles" in its first strikes near Libya's coast, "because that's where the integrated missile defence systems are and of course the other air defence related facilities", notably around Tripoli and Misrata, the official said.
The US operation - named "Odyssey Dawn" - followed initial missions by French warplanes, which carried out four air strikes on Saturday, destroying several armoured vehicles of Gaddafi forces.
Two US Navy destroyers and three US submarines are positioned in the Mediterranean near Libya, all of which are equipped with Tomahawk missiles.
