Libya airstrikes: U.S. continues Libya airstrikes despite new support role - latimes.com

Reporting from Washington—

U.S. warplanes have bombed three ground targets in Libya since the Obama administration announced early this month that America was shifting to a support role in the NATO-led air campaign, the Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday.

Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman, said that U.S. fighter jets have attacked Libyan air defense sites as part of the no-fly zone imposed last month under a United Nations mandate to deter attacks against civilians by forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi.

Administration officials have said previously that the U.S. had halted strike sorties on April 4, several days after turning over command of the air campaign to the NATO alliance, and that attacks on Libyan tanks and other ground units would be handled by aircraft from Britain, France and other allies.

But the limited U.S. role has grown increasingly controversial in recent days.

via latimes.com