NATO says its aircraft has sunk eight Libyan ‘warships’ in overnight attacks.
A statement said the vessels were sunk in co-ordinated attacks on the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte.
NATO said that given the escalating use of naval assets, the alliance had no choice but to take decisive action to protect the civilian population of Libya and NATO forces at sea.
The developments came after US President Barack Obama that Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi will inevitably leave power.
Mr Obama was speaking in an address on the Middle East where a series of uprisings this year governments in Tunisia and Egypt, and inspired a three-month-old revolt in Libya that aims to overthrow Gaddafi.
‘Time is working against Gaddafi. He does not have control over his country. The opposition has organised a legitimate and credible Interim Council,’ Mr Obama said in Washington.
‘When Gaddafi inevitably leaves or is forced from power, decades of provocation will come to an end and the transition to a democratic Libya can proceed,’ he said, defending his decision to take military action against the Libyan leader's government.
His comments echoed NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen who said military and political pressure were weakening Gaddafi and would eventually topple him.
The Libyan leader, however, remained defiant.
‘Obama is still delusional,’ Libyan government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said. ‘He believes the lies that his own government and media spread around the world ... It's not Obama who decides whether Muammar Gaddafi leaves Libya or not. It's the Libyan people.’
