NATO strikes sink eight Libyan warships

The assaults on the ports of Tripoli, Al Khums and Sirte late last night came as US President Barack Obama said Col Gaddafi would "inevitably" leave or be forced from power.

Rear-Admiral Russell Harding, deputy commander of the Nato mission in Libya, said of the strikes: "Given the escalating use of naval assets, Nato had no choice but to take decisive action to protect the civilian population of Libya and Nato forces at sea."

Yesterday, President Obama said in a major speech in on the Arab uprisings: "(Gaddafi) does not have control over his country...

"And when Gaddafi inevitably leaves or is forced from power, decades of provocation will come to an end, and the transition to a democratic Libya can proceed."

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Col Gaddafi's forces had been severely hit, which would lead to the eventual end of his rule.

He said: "We have significantly degraded Gaddafi's war machine and now we see the results - the opposition has gained ground.

"The Gaddafi regime is more and more isolated every day."

Rebels fighting to overthrow Col Gaddafi have said they are increasingly concerned about the humanitarian situation in the Nafusa mountains, even after gaining control of the key city of Misratah.