Anti-Aircraft Fire Erupts Over Tripoli as More Nations Enforce No-Fly Zone

Anti-aircraft fire has erupted over the Libyan capital, Tripoli, with at least one explosion shaking the city as more Western nations joined a coalition enforcing a U.N.-authorized no-fly zone over Libya.

The anti-aircraft fire and explosion were heard in Tripoli after nightfall Monday. Libyan state television said the capital was under a new attack by coalition warplanes.

Earlier, the head of the U.S. military's Africa command said coalition warplanes carried out more patrols in Libyan airspace during the day, with seven nations participating in the mission alongside the United States.

Speaking from his headquarters in Germany, General Carter Ham said the other nations include Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy and Spain. He said the focus of the mission, which began with airstrikes on Saturday and Sunday, has now shifted to extending the no-fly zone from eastern Libya to cover Tripoli in the west.

No-fly Zone in Place, But Danger Remains, Admiral Says

WASHINGTON: While the attacks on Libya's integrated air and missile defense system have been successful, thousands anti-aircraft artillery emplacements and portable missile launchers still pose threats to coalition air crews, the director of the Joint Staff said today.

On the second day of Operation Odyssey Dawn, Navy Vice Adm. William E. Gortney said the coalition cruise missile strikes against selected air defense systems and facilities were successful, and that coalition ships and submarines launched 124 Tomahawk missiles against these targets.

"We judge these strikes to have been very effective in degrading the regime's air defense capability, to include their ability to launch many of their SA-5s – their long range missiles – their SA-3s and SA-2s," Gortney said during a Pentagon news conference.

Moammar Gadhafi's regime has not launched aircraft, and the coalition has not detected any radar emissions from the air defense sites targeted, the admiral said.