The U.S. Navy was repositioning its heavy-hitting warships around North Africa tonight as America and Britain dramatically increased pressure on Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.
The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, which had been had been on pirate-hunting duty off the coast of Somalia, has now steamed to the mouth of the Suez Canal in the Red Sea.
The deadly strike force aboard the nuclear-powered carrier is already within flying distance of Libya but the Enterprise is said to be heading closer to country and its rogue dictator.
Closing in: The nuclear-powered USS Enterprise, bristling with warplanes, has left pirate-hunting duty off Somalia and is now heading towards Libya.
While the Pentagon would not confirm whether the Enterprise was preparing for an intervention mission, world leaders dramatically ramped up pressure on Libya today - with British Prime Minister David Cameron vowing to set up a no-fly zone and use 'military assets' to protect the Libyan people against further attack.
Mr Cameron said: ‘We must not tolerate this regime using military force against its own people. In that context I have asked the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff to work with our allies on plans for a military no-fly zone. My message to Colonel Gaddafi is simple: 'Go now'.’
The Prime Minister threatened Colonel Gaddafi with military action, saying if he turned his air force on the rebels, RAF warplanes would be able to intervene. There was no immediate U.S. response to Mr Cameron's comments - but the current movements of its Navy suggest a co-ordinated move against Gaddafi was underway.
Closing in: The command ship USS Mount Whitney is already in the Mediterranean, while the the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge is in the Red Sea behind the Enterprise
Pentagon spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said the military was 'repositioning' forces to be ready to assist in case a no-fly zone was enforced. He said that, more likely, U.S. forces would be asked to provide humanitarian relief once the tense situation is resolved. Still, the Enterprise - with its compliment of F-14 Tomcat fighters - is not the best candidate for a humanitarian aid mission.
