Coalition forces pound Libyan military targets, US jet crashed

Coalition forces pounded Libyan military targets with 24 more Tomahawk missiles Coalition forces pounded Libyan military targets with 24 more Tomahawk missiles, expanding the no-fly zone over the North African nation but suffering the loss of a US fighter jet, US officials said on Tuesday. And the on-scene commander, Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, confirmed that troops of leader Moammar Gadhafi were attacking civilians in the city of Misrata. He said that as the international mission continues, coalition forces will be able to target those government troops better. The two-man crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle ejected after the craft suffered mechanical problems during a strike mission against a Libyan missile site, Locklear said. He spoke to Pentagon reporters via phone from the command ship USS Mount Whitney in the Mediterranean Sea. The crew was recovered and suffered only minor injuries, US Africa Command said. One crew member was recovered by rebels and the other was picked up by a Marine Corps search and rescue plane, the command said, adding both were in US hands on Tuesday and off Libyan soil. Two dozen more Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from US and British submarines, a defense official said earlier in the day. Locklear gave no details but confirmed that brought to 161 the number of Tomahawk strikes aimed at disabling Libyan command and control facilities, air defenses and other targets since the operation started Saturday. Locklear said the additional strikes had expanded the area covered by the no-fly zone. He said intelligence showed that Gadhafi forces were attacking civilians in Libya s third-largest city, Misrata. In a joint statement to Gadhafi late Friday, the United States, Britain and France called on Gadhafi to end his troops  advance toward Benghazi and pull them out of the cities of Misrata, Ajdabiya and Zawiya. Locklear said the coalition is "considering all options" but did not elaborate. Asked if international forces were stepping up strikes on Gadhafi s ground troops, Locklear said that as the "capability of the coalition" grows, it will be able to do more missions aimed at ground troops who are not complying with the UN resolution to protect those seeking Gadhafi s removal.