March 19, 2011 4:26:09 PM
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An international coalition launched its first strikes on Libya Saturday to destroy the country’s air and missile defense systems and prevent further attacks by the Libyan government on its citizens and rebels in and around the rebel held city of Benghazi, a senior U.S. military official said.
More than two dozen warships and a large number of war planes from several countries made up the initial strike force, which was led by the U.S. military’s Africa command, the official said, speaking in an embargoed briefing a few hours before the operation began.
“The key first strikes would be on the coast because that is where the integrated air and missile defense systems,” the official added.
The first wave included sea-launched U.S. cruise missiles and the deployment of U.S. electronic warfare aircraft.
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