The pair of Tornado jets took off from the Italian island of Sicily equipped with precision-guided munition to strike "selected targets", a defence ministry official said without revealing details over their mission.

In an about-face Monday, Rome said it would participate in air strikes with a NATO-led coalition against Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi's regime.

While ruling out ground operations, the government said it was stepping up its contribution after heavy fighting in besieged Misrata claimed numerous civilian victims.

Until now Rome offered the use of seven air bases on its territory by the NATO forces and only took part in reconnaissance and monitoring the UN-mandated no-fly zone.

Britain, France and the United States have mainly carried out strikes, razing the Libyan leader's office in his immense Tripoli residence this week.

"We are going from bad to worse," said right-wing Northern League heavyweight and minister for legislative simplification, Roberto Calderoli.

Berlusconi's coalition partner strongly opposes aerial bombings on Libya over fears they will provoke massive migration into Italy, which is already swamped by 30,000 North African refugees fleeing unrest there since January.

The government decision is "a mistake that will end up in a wave of immigrants sent by Kadhafi or fleeing war," Interior Minister and senior Northern League member Roberto Maroni told the Libero daily.

The lawmaker said he was "surprised over Berlusconi's decision because in his latest cabinet meeting he slammed the brakes on (Defence Minister Ignazio) La Russa's proposal to participate in the bombings," he added.

"Berlusconi made the decision without asking anyone's advice, in a sudden manner. We maintain our position, we do not change our ideas from one day to the next."

Maroni threatened to "display" his party's position at a May 3 parliamentary vote on proposals presented by the centre-left opposition. Pundits say if it backs the opposition, that may signal a serious break-up with Berlusconi.

Massive protests in February -- inspired by the revolts that toppled long-time autocrats in Egypt and Tunisia -- escalated into war when Kadhafi's troops fired on demonstrators and protesters seized several eastern towns.

An international coalition intervened on March 19, launching air raids and missile strikes under a UN mandate aimed at protecting civilians from Kadhafi's forces.

NATO took command of the air campaign on March 31.

Libya rebel forces appeal for weapons from West
Brussels (AFP) April 28, 2011 - A Libyan rebel leader urged the West Thursday to supply helicopters and anti-tank missiles to insurgents, warning Moamer Kadhafi could resort to mustard gas in a desperate bid to stay in power.

Abdulfatah Younis, a former Kadhafi interior minister now a leader of the rebel armed forces, pleaded for arms during a visit to Brussels to garner support from the European Union and NATO.

"Kadhafi is desperate now. Unfortunately he still has about 25 percent of his chemical weapons, which maybe he will use since he's in a desperate situation," Younis told a news conference.

"So we have to stop him. We have to cooperate to stop him," he said.

After working by Kadhafi's side for 42 years until switching sides this year, Younis dubbed the Libyan strongman an "arrogant man" who "never accepts retreat" and would likely battle to his death after refusing to go into exile.

"He will fight up to the final drop of his blood," he said. "He refused all the chances (to leave Libya). Most probably he will be killed or commit suicide."

Younis urged the United Nations to force Kadhafi to stop his siege of Misrata, the sole rebel-held city in the west where children were being forced to drink sewerage water. NATO should hit regime forces stationed on the outskirts, where it is now "easier to hit them."

"I beg civil society and the UN to force Kadhafi to leave Misrata by all the means. And NATO has all the capabilities to do that, to save these children in Misrata from a dark future," he said.

NATO said the representative of the opposition Transitional National Council had requested to meet with the alliance in Brussels, but Younis and NATO officials refused to say who he would meet.

Younis said the talks would be about how to protect civilians and the future of Libya. "I am optimistic that they will understand everything. And they will give all the necessary arrangements we need," he said, refusing to elaborate.

The question of arming the ragtag rebellion in Libya has divided the international community.

Italy, a former Kadhafi ally which now backs the insurgents, supports arming them but other NATO allies are lukewarm, or oppose this outright.

The Libyan regime accused Qatar earlier this month of providing anti-tank missiles to the rebels.

Younis indicated the rebels been given a "small quantity" of arms but they are "still waiting for our friends to supply us with new weapons."

"We did not actually receive the proper weapons we need," he said.

"Of course we are not talking about light or small weapons. We're talking about more advanced (weapons) like Apache helicopters, anti-tank missiles as well as fast boats equipped with torpedoes," Younis said.

He refused to name the countries the rebels are seeking weapons from.

"We are still waiting. Unfortunately the arms are delayed up to now," said Younis, who arrived in Brussels late Wednesday.

US Senator John McCain, during a visit to the rebel bastion of Benghazi in eastern Libya last Friday, urged the international community to arm the opposition and recognise their Transitional National Council.

Italy and France are the only EU and NATO nations to have recognised the council along with Qatar, which is contributing fighter jets to the no-fly zone over Libya.

The two European nations, along with Britain, announced last week that they were sending military advisers to assist Libya's rebel shadow government in Benghazi.

"We have now gathered all the military advisers, French, Italian, Qatari, Libyans, all in one joint operation room in Benghazi," Younis said. "Now it's easier to cooperate and more efficient."

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