During March and April US and British warships and submarines launched a barrage of cruise missiles against a number of air defence systems in Libya. With a mandate authorised by UN Security Council Resolution 1973 more than 100 Tomahawk land-attack missiles (TLAM) were fired as the international community decided to intervene against the Gaddafi regime.
The initial attacks came from the US Navy destroyers Barry and Stout, and the submarines Florida, Providence and Scranton. Six Tomahawks were also launched from the Royal Navy’s HMS Triumph. At the time of writing a total of 228 TLAM attacks had been carried out since international military action began on 19 March.
A sea blockade was subsequently put into place involving some of the warships that had been used to evacuate foreign nationals from the country as security there worsened.
