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

Col. Dave Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman, said Wednesday that U.S. fighter jets have attacked Libyan air defense sites to support 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 previously said 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.

Libyan opposition leaders and some NATO allies publicly complained about the intensity and scope of the air campaign against Kadafi’s forces since the U.S. announced that American warplanes would cease participating in the mission to protect civilians.

Allies vow no halt to campaign until Gaddafi goes

The British, French and U.S. leaders vowed on Friday to press on with their military campaign in Libya until Muammar Gaddafi leaves power, and rebels said his forces were pounding the dolomite crusher besieged city of Misrata with missiles.

In a strongly-worded, jointly-written article published in newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic, David Cameron, Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama said leaving Gaddafi in power would be an “unconscionable betrayal” of the Libyan people.

U.S Warplanes Bomb Libya

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