THE LATEST: French jets have now destroyed four tanks south west of Benghazi, according to Reuters.
20 french warplanes are flying around Benghazi, according to Sky News.
Meanwhile Qaddafi's son appeared on state TV and told the people to go to war against foreign invaders, according to Libyan activists on twitter.
A rebel jet shot down earlier was mistakenly fired on by rebel fighters, according to French media.
12:45 ET: The first shot was fired, as a French jet jet targeted and destroyed a Libyan vehicle, the defence ministry tells Reuters.
CLINTON SPEAKS: Hillary Clinton repeated coalition demands at a speech in Paris: The violence must stop. Troops must stop advancing toward Benghazi and pull out of all contested cities.
"Since the President spoke there has been some talk from Tripoli of a cease fire, but the reality on the ground tells a very different story."
Clinton says French jets are already enforcing the no-fly zone. American jets seem likely to joine: "America has unique abilities and we will bring them to bear to support our allies." She reaffirms Obama's promise not to deploy ground troops.
Now a quick note about Bahrain. Clinton makes clear this is conflict against Iran: "Iran's activities in the Gulf... undermines peace and stability."
Clinton defends Bahrain's right to call GCC allies in to support stability. She points to welfare packages offered in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Gulf as signs of progress. "We have a decades long friendship with Bahrain that we expect to continue decades into the future."
Will America jets will be used? Clinton repeats that "America has unique capabilities."
Is it too late to engage diplomatically? Clinton says there has been no real effort on the part of the Qaddafi forces to abide by a cease-fire, thus no possibility exists yet.
Is the goal to protect civilians or to remove Qaddafi from power? Clinton adamantly says it is to protect civilians.
Could Qadadfi remain in power? "Those are all questions that standing here are difficult to answer"
"Thank you all. Have a great night in Paris those of you who get to stay."
EARLIER: Sarkozy has confirmed that its jets are flying over Libya, and that his country's fighter jets have begun to enforce the no-fly zone.
Obama gave a brief talk in Brazil, in which he reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the Libyan people and said the coalition would act with urgency.
France is flying Mirage and Rafale fighters. Also there are six Danish F-16 fighter jets at the US air base in Sicily, and American F-18s and Canadian CF-18 Hornets already in the region, according to Reuters. Italy will offer bases, but provide jets only if needed.
The air battle near Benghazi started early as the rebels shot down a Qaddafi warplane and Qaddafi's forces shot down one of the rebels few jets.
EARLIER: What, you really thought that yesterday's announcement of a "ceasefire" from Qaddafi would mean peace in Libya?
Since then there has been no evidence of a halt to violence, and fighting continued in Benghazi today.
The US has accused Qaddafi of violating the UN's terms, and strikes are set to begin.
World leaders are meeting in Paris today, according to Reuters, and word is that strikes could begin immediately afterwords.
French, British, and Canadian jets are said to be in the first wave of strikes.
There's an interesting livestream out of news out of Benghazi. Some of it is international newscasts, some of it is on the ground footage. It may take a moment to load.
For more background on yesterday's action, see here >
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See Also:
- PHOTOS: Inside The 250,000-Person Libyan Refugee Crisis
- Qaddafi Crushes The Rebels On Both Fronts
- Qaddafi Is Speaking, And Protesters In Benghazi Are Going Nuts
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/vCRmfP92odw/libya-air-strikes-2011-3
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