Chris Lawrence: US Fires on Libyan Air Defense Targets

According to Pentagon officials, "our" US military launched its first air-strikes on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's air defenses Saturday, a Pentagon official said. "Early this afternoon, over 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from both US and British ships and submarines struck more than 20 integrated air defense systems and other air defense facilities ashore, according to US Vice Adm. William Gortney. He said that the majority of the targets were on or near the coast, in the western part of the country. A senior military official said earlier that US Tomahawk missiles landed in the area around Tripoli and Misrata, adding that the action was taken after Gadhafi failed to comply with a cease-fire. "He's clearly been on the offensive," the official, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said of Gadhafi. "He said that he was going to do a cease-fire, and he continued to move his forces into Benghazi." US President Barack Obama confirmed that he had authorized "limited military action in Libya" and that "that action has now begun." He is planning for the US portion of the military action to last just a few days, according to a senior administration official."