Libya's capital Tripoli has been bombarded for a third night as a US warplane crashed and UK Typhoon jets took part in their first-ever combat mission.
Loud explosions - some reportedly near Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's compound - and anti-aircraft fire could be heard across the capital as coalition fighter jets targeted the Libyan leader's defences.
It has emerged that a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle came down near the rebel-held city of Benghazi just after midnight local time.
The US military said the jet suffered mechanical failure and was not shot down by enemy fire. Both crew members ejected, were recovered and are safe.
Sky's security editor Sam Kiley, in the eastern city of Tobruk, said the US military will be eager to retrieve the aircraft, which reportedly crashed in a field.
"The jet will now become a major focus of American efforts to extract it," he said.
"There is a lot of equipment on an aircraft of that type which will be top secret and shared between the Allies, so for that to fall into other hands would be disastrous."
Meanwhile UK Typhoons, the newest additions to the RAF's fast jet fleet, flew into action for the first time to police the no-fly zone in Libya from their base at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy.
The jet is mainly deployed as a fighter and could use its air-to-air missile systems to bring down any aircraft defying the UN order.
The latest round of airstrikes has handed some momentum back to revolutionary forces but the prospect of a stalemate has increased, with warnings that the rebellion's more organised military units are still not ready to defeat fighters loyal to Col Gaddafi.
Breaking News
12:03pm UK, Tuesday March 22, 2011
Tripoli Bombarded As US Warplane Crashes
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Libya's capital Tripoli has been bombarded for a third night as a US warplane crashed and UK Typhoon jets took part in their first-ever combat mission.
Watch live coverage on the latest Libya developments.
Loud explosions - some reportedly near Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's compound - and anti-aircraft fire could be heard across the capital as coalition fighter jets targeted the Libyan leader's defences.
It has emerged that a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle came down near the rebel-held city of Benghazi just after midnight local time.
us air force f15 crashes in Libya
The US military said the jet suffered mechanical failure and was not shot down by enemy fire. Both crew members ejected, were recovered and are safe.
Sky's security editor Sam Kiley, in the eastern city of Tobruk, said the US military will be eager to retrieve the aircraft, which reportedly crashed in a field.
"The jet will now become a major focus of American efforts to extract it," he said.
"There is a lot of equipment on an aircraft of that type which will be top secret and shared between the Allies, so for that to fall into other hands would be disastrous."
latest developments in the Libya conflict
Meanwhile UK Typhoons, the newest additions to the RAF's fast jet fleet, flew into action for the first time to police the no-fly zone in Libya from their base at Gioia del Colle in southern Italy.
The jet is mainly deployed as a fighter and could use its air-to-air missile systems to bring down any aircraft defying the UN order.
The latest round of airstrikes has handed some momentum back to revolutionary forces but the prospect of a stalemate has increased, with warnings that the rebellion's more organised military units are still not ready to defeat fighters loyal to Col Gaddafi.
Downing Street sources say the Prime Minister believes that if Col Gaddafi continues attacks on civilians, the UN resolution plainly allows for him to be attacked in order to protect civilian life.
Sky's deputy political editor Joey Jones on the confusion over targeting Col Gaddafi
Sky correspondent Lisa Holland, reporting under the supervision of the Libyan authorities in Tripoli, said she watched lines of tracer fire arc skyward as gunners aimed at aircraft imposing the no-fly zone.
"There were two or three explosions, then a missile, and anti-aircraft fire spraying the sky," Holland said.
"There was a lull of about 45 minutes and then a second round of explosions here in Tripoli.
"There have also been reports of a naval base, east of Tripoli, being destroyed but the regime has given no official line about what has been hit here overnight."
Libyan State TV reported that two radar installations at air defence bases near Benghazi were destroyed by allied forces.
explosions rock tripoli for a third night
As Libya was pounded from the air by the coalition, fighting between the rebels and Gaddafi's forces has continued on the ground.
In rebel-held Misratah, to the east of Tripoli, several sources reported a series of attacks on rebels by forces loyal to Col Gaddafi.
A civilian told Reuters news agency that tanks had started shelling the city this morning and four children had been killed when the car they were in was hit.
In Zintan, southwest of Tripoli and near the Tunisian border, civilians were reportedly forced into mountain caves after heavy shelling from Libyan troops.
In the east, rebels have reportedly progressed 60 miles south of Benghazi to Ajdabiyah following Sunday's coalition assault on government tanks.
Sky correspondent Emma Hurd, on one of the frontlines near the town of Ajdabiyah, 90 miles southwest of Benghazi, said: "There is fighting in Misratah, which has been under a heavy barrage for days because Col Gaddafi's forces are right inside the city."
"There is also fighting where I am in Ajdabiyah, which government forces took a few days ago," she said.
"Despite the air power against them, Col Gaddafi's forces are still holed inside Ajdabiyah with all the consequences for the civilian population that it might have."
The purpose of the airstrikes are to stop Col Gaddafi's troops from attacking rebel cities - in line with the UN mandate to protect civilians.
But the UK and US have both stressed that although they would like to see the dictator of 41 years overthrown, that is not the goal of the military action.
Prime Minister David Cameron addressed the House of Commons during a six-hour debate that saw a 557-13 vote in favour of using the military to enforce the UN resolution.