TRIPOLI, Libya — NATO warplanes targeted a communications center in Tripoli that had been coordinating attacks against Libyan civilians, the alliance said in a statement Monday.
“NATO carried out a precision strike in central Tripoli last night [Sunday],” it said. “The target was a Communications Headquarter that was used to coordinate attacks against civilians.”
The statement came after NATO bombs destroyed Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy’s office in his Tripoli compound in the Bab Al-Aziziya district. A meeting room facing Khadafy’s office was badly damaged by the blast.
A Libyan official told journalists at the compound that 45 people had been hurt, 15 seriously, in the bombing. He added that he did not know whether there were victims under the rubble.
NATO said in Brussels that it could not comment on casualties.
“We have no independent means of verifying reports of possible civilian casualties,” the NATO statement said. “Unlike pro-Khadafy forces, we continue to go to great lengths to reduce the possibility of any civilian casualties.”
The alliance said it was maintaining “a high operational tempo” to dampen Khadafy’s ability to attack his people in line with its mandate from the United Nations to protect the civilian population.
Since NATO took command of Operation Unified Protector on March 31, aircraft have flown more than 3,700 sorties and more than 1,500 strike sorties, it said, referring to missions “intended to identify and engage appropriate targets, but [which] do not necessarily deploy munitions each time.”
In the last 48 hours, NATO aircraft also destroyed multiple-rocket launchers, armored personnel carriers, bunkers and storage facilities in and around Misrata, Tripoli and Sirte.
“We will keep up the pressure until all attacks against civilians have stopped, Khadafy’s forces have withdrawn to bases and full and unimpeded humanitarian access has been ensured,” said NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu.
Khadafy’s son Saif al Islam Khadafy described the recent airstrikes on Tripoli as “cowardly.”
“This cowardly attack on Moammar Khadafy’s office may frighten or terrorize children but we will not abandon the battle and we are not afraid,” he said, claiming that NATO’s battle was “lost in advance.”
Four people were killed as forces loyal to Khadafy blasted the town of Zintan in western Libya with Grad rockets, residents said Monday. They said four people died and nine were wounded late Sunday when government troops fired between six and nine Grads which crashed into homes.
Also Monday, Sky News reported that UK secretary of state Liam Fox was set to travel to Washington with the chief of the defense staff general Sir David Richards, where they will meet with their opposite numbers at the Pentagon.
The British defense ministry said the pair will discuss how they can “exploit the emerging opportunities on the ground” in Libya. They will also discuss the use of more precision strikes on Libya and how supply lines can be targeted.
Hours before the attack, Sen. Lindsey Graham said NATO should end the crisis quickly with an attack aimed at Khadafy.
On CNN’s “State of the Union,” Graham (R-SC) said the Libyan rebels didn’t have enough momentum or training to end the stalemate with Khadafy’s forces.
“My recommendation to NATO and the administration is to cut the head of the snake off. Go to Tripoli, start bombing Khadafy’s inner circle, their compounds, their military headquarters in Tripoli,” he said.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said Khadafy should be “aware that his life is in danger.”
And Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) said it was “very important that Khadafy and his family and everyone else near him wakes up every day thinking that it is their last” to avoid a “very costly and destructive stalemate.”
“That’s the surest way of ending the violence against the civilians of Libya,” he said.