Libyan ruler defiant as airstrikes by coalition forces enter 2nd day
Some Libyans welcomed the American, French and British military forces carrying out air and missile attacks in the first phase of an operation to enforce a no-fly zone.Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Fighter jets zoomed across eastern Libya on Sunday as an international military coalition hammered air defense positions near the capital for a second day.
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Others remained fearful of ruler Moammar Gadhafi, who remained defiant despite the attacks after he reneged on a pledge to stop violence toward civilians demanding his ouster.
Libyans are "afraid to come out because when they do, he attacked them very, very severely," a woman in Tripoli said Sunday. "This is putting terror in all neighborhoods."
The multinational military forces launched the attacks Saturday, convinced that Gadhafi was not adhering to a cease-fire mandated by the United Nations.
Tomahawk cruise missiles are unmanned and fly close to the ground, steering around natural and man-made obstacles to hit a target programmed into them before launch.American and British ships, and submarines fired more than 110 Tomahawk missiles and hit about 20 Libyan air and missile defense targets in western portions of the country, U.S. Vice Adm. William Gortney said at a Pentagon briefing.
Scores of missiles were fired in the pre-dawn darkness, and the exact results of the mission were not immediately clear.
The U.S. will conduct a damage assessment of the sites, which include SA-5 missiles and communications facilities.
A senior U.S. military official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said the cruise missiles -- which fly close to the ground or sea at about 550 miles per hour -- landed near the city of Misrata and the capital, Tripoli.
The salvo, in an operation dubbed "Odyssey Dawn," was meant "to deny the Libyan regime from using force against its own people," Gortney said.
British Defense Secretary Liam Fox said the Royal Air Force deployed Tornado GR4 fast jets, which flew 3,000 miles from the United Kingdom and back, "making this the longest-range bombing mission conducted by the RAF since the (1982) Falklands conflict."
British Prime Minister David Cameron said the international mission "is necessary, it is legal, and it is right."
"I believe we should not stand aside while this dictator murders his own people," Cameron said late Saturday night.
But Gadhafi remained defiant, saying Libya will fight back against undeserved "naked aggression."
His military claimed nearly 50 people, including, women, children and clerics, were killed in the attacks that started Saturday evening. A witness in Tripoli said a loud explosion from a nearby military base woke her early Sunday morning. She said she heard gunfire and went to the roof of her building to observe.
"Then I heard the second explosion," said the woman, who is not being identified for safety reasons. She said she saw fire rising up from the direction of Mitiga Airport, formerly known as the U.S. Wheelus Air Base.
French fighter jets fired at a military vehicle in the first strike against Gadhafi's military forces Saturday.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has called the regime's violence against civilians "murderous madness."
Early Sunday, Gadhafi vowed to open weapons depots, and said the U.N. charter provides the nation the right to defend itself in a "war zone." He has also issued defiant messages to international powers and said Libyans are ready to die for him.
In Misrata, a witness said Gadhafi's forces are targeting fuel and power stations to make citizens believe the damage is being done by coalition forces. The witness, who was not identified for security reasons, said people celebrated allied airstrikes on loyalist positions in the city.
CNN could not verify the account.
In the city of Benghazi -- a stronghold for rebels that was attacked by Gadhafi forces -- fighter jets flew overhead Sunday. It was not immediately clear whom the jets belonged to.
U.S. President Barack Obama is planning for the U.S. portion of the military action in Libya to only last for a few days, according to a senior administration official, who was not authorized to speak about sensitive military matters.
"After that we'll take more of a supporting role," the senior official said.
Obama authorized U.S. military force on what happened to be the eighth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq.
In the next few days, U.S. military officials expect to hand over control to a coalition commander. Canada and Italy also are part of the coalition.
Violence has raged in Libya following protests calling for democracy and demanding an end to Gadhafi's almost 42-year-long rule.
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