Libyan launch sites disabled: Pentagon

U.S. officials say a series of coalition airstrikes over Libya has succeeded in enforcing a UN-sanctioned no-fly zone.

"We judge these strikes to have been very significant in degrading the regime's air defence capability,"aimedat itslong-range surface-to-air missiles,Vice-Admiral Bill Gortney said ata Pentagon briefing Sunday, two days into the air assault.

Gortney also said Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi himself is not a target, but he could not guarantee the strongman's safety.

CNN reported Sunday night that a four-storey building in Gadhafi's Tripoli compound had been heavily damaged. Government officials invited a CNN crew to see the building, alleging it was hit by cruise missiles. The Libyan leader's wheareabouts are unknown.

Gortney said no coalition aircraft had been shot down and there was no evidence the air assault had harmed civilians in Libya. He said all pilots returned safely from their missions.

Earlier, AdmiralMike Mullen, chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the assaultby coalitionforces"went very well" and a no-fly zone over Libya was now in place.

Loud explosion

Anti-aircraft fire followed by aloud explosion was reported in the Libyan capital late Sunday despite a renewed promise of a ceasefire by the country's armed forces, following a weekend of airstrikes by U.S.-led coalition forces.

Colourful streams of tracer fire could be seen heading skyward over the capital, but there was no immediate sign of a resumption of the missile attacks and aerial bombings that U.S. and European forces launched on Saturday.

A similar ceasefire call on Friday just hours after the UN Security Council gave the go-ahead to a no-fly zone was largely ignored byforces loyal to leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Earlier Sunday, Gadhafi predicted a "long war" against Libyan rebels and the coalition of countries helping them.

Gadhafi appeared as defiant as ever after a night of explosions, which rocked Tripoli and other coastal areas and left the road tothe rebel city of Benghazi strewn with charred government military vehicles.

Libyan state television said 48 people were killed and 150 others injured, but the numbers have not been confirmed.

At least 124 missiles were fired during the attacks launched late Saturday to enforcethe no-fly zonemandated by the UN Security Council and to weaken Gadhafi's air defences.

Tanks halted

Rebels had been losing ground to Gadhafi's forces in recent days and begged the international community to intervene.Government tankswere on the outskirts of Benghazi on Saturday, but Mullen said the allied attacks stopped the approach.

Gadhafi told state TV that arms depots around the country were being opened up to citizens so they could defend themselves against what he calledterrorism and a "crusading aggression."

The CBC's Nahlah Ayed, reporting from neighbouring Egypt, said Gadhafi tried to portray the conflict as a religious one, accusing Western "Christian" powers of waging war on Islam. Ayed said this interpretation was bound to fail, however, since Gadhafi has never been a strong defender of Islam.

Rebels said the international strikes also hit an air force complex outside Misrata. Afterdawn Sunday,Gadhafi forces started bombingMisrata, the only rebel-held city in western Libya,opposition forces said.

During the international operation,Tomahawk cruise missiles were firedfrom American and British ships and submarines at more than 20 coastal targets, the U.S. military said.French fighter jets fired the first shots.

The secretary general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa,appeared to have reservations about thebombardment developments that he said went beyond the enforcement of a no-fly zone. Moussa called for an emergency meeting of all 22 members of the Arab League to discuss the Libya situation.

However, the Arab League laterreaffirmed its support for the no-fly zone.

Canada's planes couldbe flying Monday

Warplanes from the United States, Canada andDenmark arrived at Italian air bases Saturday. Germany backed the operation but isn't offering its own forces.

Spain, Belgium and the first Arab country, Qatar, have also joined the coalition.

Six Canadian jet fighters are part of the allied force but did not take part in the first wave. The fighter jets are at Trapani, Italy and were expected to begin operations Monday.

Prime MinisterStephen Harper's office said Saturday it would be at least 48 hours beforeCanada could take part inany bombing.

Harper defended Canada's involvement in the coalition force, saying the Gadhafi regime will kill anyonesuspected of being disloyal.

Gadhafi'sregime acted quickly in the run-up to the strikes, sending warplanes, tanks and troops into Benghazi, the first city to fall to the rebellion that began Feb. 15. Then the government attacks appeared to go silent.

A Benghazi resident who works for the Red Cross told CBC Newsthat aquiet had fallen over the city after the allied intervention, like the "calm before the storm,"but peoplewere feeling optimistic.

Rebels had been upset at how long it was taking to get the military action under way, said the woman, who did not want her name used after just losing her neighbours to Gadhafi gunmen.