21 March 2011
Last updated at 08:52 ET
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Libyan government spokesman Ibrahim Musa said the strike had targeted an “administrative building”
The head of UK armed forces says Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is “absolutely not” a target for military action.
Gen Sir David Richards said that was “not allowed” under the UN resolution on acting to protect Libyan civilians.
British Defence Secretary Liam Fox had earlier said targeting Col Gaddafi could “potentially be a possibility”.
Allied officials say one of his command centres was destroyed in an overnight strike. Col Gaddafi has been fighting rebels since last month.
Gen Sir David Richards, speaking after a meeting at the Cabinet Office, said targeting the Libyan leader was “not allowed under the UN resolution”.
The document, approved by the Security Council last week, authorises “all necessary measures” to protect civilian from pro-Gaddafi forces – including a no-fly zone.
At the scene
Two allied raids on Tripoli provoked heavy barrages of anti-aircraft fire aimed at missiles and aircraft that we in the city could neither see nor hear.
The city echoed with gunfire and the sky lit up with the red glow of tracer rounds. Several loud explosions rocked the city, including one at Col Gaddafi’s own residential compound.
The compound had filled up with enthusiastic supporters of Col Gaddafi only the previous day – civilians who said they were ready to die with him if necessary.
It is not known whether any of them were still in the compound when the missiles struck. Some journalists were taken to the site during the night.
A Libyan government spokesman said it was proof the allies were targeting non-military locations. The removal of Col Gaddafi is not a stated aim of the UN Security Council resolution. But this strike is a reminder that he is not safe from the allied air strikes.
“I think we’re cautiously optimistic that we’re on track to achieve the goals that have been set,” the general said.
The comment came after a second night of US-led action in Libya. In Tripoli Col Gaddafi’s sprawling Bab al-Aziziya complex was hit. Western journalists taken to the compound were shown a ruined building.
An official from one of the coalition countries, who asked not to be named, told journalists the strike had destroyed Col Gaddafi’s “command and control capability”.
It is not known whether the colonel was there at the time of the bombing.
The action against Col Gaddafi began on Saturday with French air strikes in the east. A barrage of cruise missiles, launched from US and UK ships and submarines followed.
On Sunday US Navy Vice Adm William Gortney said the coalition had control of the air space between Tripoli and the main rebel stronghold, Benghazi in the east. “The no-fly zone is effectively in place,” he said.
He added that ground forces moving on rebel positions were also open to attack.
In Moscow, Russian PM Vladimir Putin condemned the resolution as “flawed”.
“It allows everything,” he said on Monday. “It resembles medieval calls for crusades.” Russia had abstained during the Security Council vote on the resolution last week.
In Misrata, a city west of Benghazi that has been under siege by government troops, residents said bombardments by pro-Gaddafi forces were continuing late on Sunday. A nearby air base was targeted in the first night of coalition strikes.
A rebel spokesman told Reuters news agency that pro-Gaddafi forces were bringing civilians to Misrata from outlying areas to deter further allied strikes.
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Gaddafi ‘not targeted’ by strikes