First US Predator strike carried out in Libya

Washington:  The Pentagon has said that the US Air Force has carried out its first Predator missile strike in Libya.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Captain Darryn James, said the airstrike happened on Saturday. He provided no details.

On Thursday, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates disclosed that President Barack Obama had approved the use of armed Predator drones to improve the precision of strikes on Libyan government forces.

Predators had previously been used in Libya only for surveillance missions.