The First Wave Of Allied Assault: 112 Cruise Missiles

The First Wave Of Allied Assault: 112 Cruise Missiles. U.S. and British ships and submarines launched the first phase of a missile attack against Libyan air defenses on Saturday and the senior U.S. defense official said it was believed to have been caused substantial damage.

In ischemic, 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired more than 20 targets clearly coastal patrols the country's military Libyan Air Force.

While the American defense officials warned that it was too early to fully assess the impact of the attack, the official said that since the accuracy of the allocation of the fleet of cruise missiles, air defense argued that the Libyan suffered severe damage.

The explosions continue to rock in coastal cities like Tripoli. Navy Vice Admiral William E. Gortney director of the Pentagon's Joint Staff, did not discuss future operations, but defense officials said that military action is likely to continue.

The official spoke on grounds of anonymity because the current mission.

In announcing the mission during a visit to Brazil, President Barack Obama said he was reluctant to use force, but was convinced it was necessary to save the lives of civilians. He reiterated that he would not send U.S. ground troops in Libya.

"We can not sit idly by when a tyrant said to his people, there will be no mercy," he said in Brasilia.

Even if U.S. defense officials said it was too early to assess the impact of an attack senior official said that since the precision targeting of the fleet of cruise missiles, air defense believe that Libya suffered severe damage .

E 'was clear the U.S. intended to limit its role in Libya's action, which focuses on the first use of, or shut the Libyan air defenses, and then leave it to European and Arab countries may have implemented no-fly zone on nation in North Africa.

Gortney said the attack was a cruise missile "cutting edge" has been copied to the campaign of the coalition in Operation Dawn Odyssey. Its objective is to avoid Muammar Gaddafi forces, provoking more violence against civilians - particularly in and around the rebel stronghold of Benghazi - Libya military and degrading the ability to deny no-fly zone.

"This is not the result of the United States or one of our partners have been looking for," Obama said from Brazil, where he began a five-day visit in Latin America. " Our consensus was strong and our resolve is clear. The people of Libya to be protected and in the absence of an immediate cessation of violence against civilians, our coalition is prepared to act, and act urgently. "

A major objective of cruise missile attack on Saturday was Libya SA-5 antiaircraft missiles, which are considered a moderate threat to some allied planes. Libya overall air defenses are based on Soviet technology, but more capable and Gortney called a potential threat to allied aircraft.

More specific: early warning radars and media unspecified Gortney said. The U.S. Army has extensive experience in combat missions as the latter, U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft repeatedly attacked Iraqi air defense in the 1990's during the execution of an air zone in the Kurdish north of Iraq.

Cruise missiles are the weapon of choice in these campaigns, which do not endanger drivers, and using navigation technologies that offer a good accuracy.

The first Tomahawk cruise missiles took place at 3 pm ET, Gortney said after an hour's flight from the U.S. and British ships in the Mediterranean station.

They were fired from ships in five Americans - the guided missile destroyers USS Barry and USS Stout, and three submarines, the USS Providence, USS Scranton Florida and U.S. $ s.

United States have at least 11 warships in the Mediterranean, including three submarines, two destroyers, two battleships and amphibious USS Mount Whitney, a command ship and control is the flagship of the Navy Marine sixth . Also in the field and navy P-3 surveillance aircraft EP-3, officials said.

Gortney had initially said it could take up to 12 hours to assess the effectiveness of the strike on Saturday. Then, a high-altitude unmanned aircraft Global Hawk flew surveillance over the target areas for greater accuracy, the admiral said. He did not say how long the attacks last Libyan air defenses, but insisted on Saturday that the attack cruise missile was the first phase of a multi-step task.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in a statement late Saturday, said: "support the action today, with the support of our allies in various Arab countries to prevent a tyrant Muammar Gaddafi from committing further acts of cruelty to humans in Libya. "

"And I support the president's decision to put the ownership of U.S. allies to help you achieve the no-fly zone to protect civilians in Libya, the United Nations pursuant to resolution, the Nevada Democrat said. "This is the U.S. military action was not taken lightly and was made in consultation with a broad international coalition."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who flew to Russia late on Saturday to begin a weeklong trip abroad, has postponed his departure for 24 hours. Press Secretary Geoff Morrell from the Pentagon, Gates said he decided he should stay in Washington to monitor Libya at the beginning of the strike by the United States.

Gates was reluctant to get involved in the civil war in Libya, saying Congress earlier this month to take his air defense Libya has been synonymous with war. Others feared that the mission could put U.S. on a slippery slope that leads to deeper involvement in another Muslim country - in addition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hours of Hillary Rodham Clinton participated in an international conference in Paris that Gaddafi was in favor of military action, the United States and Britain began their attacks.

In a press conference in Paris, Clinton said Gaddafi had left the world to move quickly and forcefully to protect further loss of life.

"We have every reason to fear that, left unchecked, Gaddafi should commit unspeakable atrocities," he said.

Clinton said there was no evidence that compliance with Gaddafi forces for alleged truce they declared, and the time to act now.

"Our assessment is that the aggressive action of Gaddafi's forces continues in many parts of the country," he said. "We have seen no real effort by Qaddafi's forces to respect a cease-fire."

Besides the three submarines and two destroyers, including U.S. Navy ships in the two Mediterranean amphibious warships, the USS Kearsarge and USS Ponce, and command and control ship USS Mount Whitney.