The first major attack of "Odyssey Dawn" came as 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles struck surface-to-air missiles, early warning sites, and key communication modes. It's the first step in enforcing a no-fly zone.As the situation in Libya escalated toward international war, the Obama administration was careful to portray US involvement as “supportive” with other countries in the lead. But on day one of the multinational conflict, it was the United States that provided most of the firepower and command direction for "Operation Odyssey Dawn."
USA attack Just hours – perhaps minutes – after an emergency summit in Paris on implementing the UN Security Council resolution authorizing military action in Libya, French and British fighters were probing Libyan airspace.
There were early reports that French jets had hit as many as four Libyan army tanks. But the first major attack came as 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles from US Navy ships (and one British submarine) struck surface-to-air missiles, early warning sites, and key communication modes.
“This will allow us to penetrate a medium-to-high threat environment without putting air crews at risk,” explained Vice Admiral William Gortney, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a Saturday afternoon Pentagon briefing. “It opens up as wide a space as possible for the no-fly zone.”
Adm. Gortney stressed that no US aircraft were flying over Libya (although command-and-control and radar-jamming aircraft can operate effectively off-shore), nor are there any US forces on the ground to provide targeting information.
In all, some 20 targets around Tripoli and Misurata were hit Saturday, after which high-altitude US Global Hawk pilotless drone aircraft will be used to provide bomb-damage assessment.
There were early reports that French jets had hit as many as four Libyan army tanks. But the first major attack came as 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles from US Navy ships (and one British submarine) struck surface-to-air missiles, early warning sites, and key communication modes.
“This will allow us to penetrate a medium-to-high threat environment without putting air crews at risk,” explained Vice Admiral William Gortney, director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a Saturday afternoon Pentagon briefing. “It opens up as wide a space as possible for the no-fly zone.”
Adm. Gortney stressed that no US aircraft were flying over Libya (although command-and-control and radar-jamming aircraft can operate effectively off-shore), nor are there any US forces on the ground to provide targeting information.
In all, some 20 targets around Tripoli and Misurata were hit Saturday, after which high-altitude US Global Hawk pilotless drone aircraft will be used to provide bomb-damage assessment.