World leaders launch military action in Libya

PARIS, Mar 19 (AP): French warplanes swooped over the heart of Libya's uprising Saturday as top officials from the United States, Europe and the Arab world launched a risky military operation to protect civilians from attacks by Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi's forces. Mirage and Rafale fighter jets are flying over Benghazi and could strike Gaddafi's tanks later Saturday, a senior French official told The Associated Press. The official said the jets are flying over the opposition stronghold and its surroundings. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the operation. Libyan government forces stormed into Benghazi Saturday, apparently ignoring a proclaimed cease-fire. The incursion into Benghazi and other cities by Gaddafi's forces could vastly complicate any international intervention, by allowing the troops to mingle in with the population - making airstrikes against them difficult. Continued to page 3 col. 1