The immediate cease-fire is good news for the people in Libya but complicates the West's way forward in the North African country.

Observers say Western powers will still show off military superiority in the region to make sure that the fighting stops. There have already been reports that Libyan forces shelled the city of Misrata Friday.

British Prime Minister David Cameron told the BBC after the cease-fire announcement that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi will be judged by his deeds and not his words.

The cease-fire came just a few hours after leaders from Britain and France said they would deploy war planes against Libya and that military action against Gadhafi's forces could begin within hours.

"We simply cannot stand back and let a dictator ... kill his people indiscriminately," Cameron said Friday in Parliament.

Britain will deploy Panavia Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon jets, as well as air-to air refueling and surveillance aircraft to deal with Libyan forces, Cameron added.

A French government spokesman said attacks could be launched within a few hours if necessary.

The United States also has military assets in the region but hasn't commented on concrete military action. Washington isn't excited about the prospect of fighting in a third Muslim country after bloody conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy had battled hard for the U.N. resolution, backed by a 10-0 vote in the Security Council Thursday night. It came after weeks of fighting in Libya and calls from the international community on Gadhafi to step down.

Condemning the "gross and systematic violation of human rights, including arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture and summary executions," the resolution entitles states to take military action to protect civilians.

It imposes a no-fly zone, effectively closing the airspace over Libya, while strongly underlining that there was no support for foreign occupational troops in the oil-rich North African country.

The decision sparked angry protests by Gadhafi loyalists in Tripoli and jubilation among the rebels in their stronghold Benghazi, the BBC said.

Five countries -- China, Russia, India, Brazil and Germany -- abstained from the Security Council vote.

In a move likely shaped by domestic politics, the German government, which faces several crucial regional elections involving voters that are largely anti-war, decided it wouldn't side with its traditional allies on Libya.

"I would have welcomed if the German government had backed the resolution to demonstrate to Gadhafi the unity of the international community," Henning Riecke, a security policy expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations, a Berlin think tank, told United Press International in a telephone interview Friday. "Supporting the resolution doesn't mean you have to send in troops."

earlier related report
Italy offers air bases, forces for Libya no-fly zone
Rome (AFP) March 18, 2011 - Italy on Friday offered the use of its air bases to impose a no-fly zone on Libya and said it could help take out Libyan radars and defence systems after the UN cleared the way for air strikes.

Italy has "granted the use of military bases on its national territory", the government's press office said after an emergency cabinet meeting in Rome.

"The Americans and the British have already made requests for some bases," Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa told a meeting in parliament.

He added that seven air bases in Italy were available for operations.

Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Italy had also shut down its embassy in Tripoli and evacuated diplomatic staff following the UN vote.

Frattini also stressed Italy would prefer the involvement of NATO as a "protection umbrella" against possible retaliation attacks from Libya.

Italian aircraft could be used "to identify targets linked to a no-fly zone that if violated would trigger an attack on radars or air defence," he added.

Italy "will play its role on the frontline", he continued.

The use of Italy's air bases is seen as critical for any military action because of its location just across the Mediterranean from northern Libya.

Also on Friday the island of Malta, which is neutral under its constitution, granted the use of its air space for other countries to enforce a no-fly zone but said it would not serve as a base for any military operations.

Italy meanwhile re-positioned an aircraft carrier, the Garibaldi, to the port of Augusta in eastern Sicily for possible deployment.

A defence source told AFP that three other Italian warships were also in the region including one, the Libra, carrying a humanitarian cargo that was due to arrive at an unnamed rebel-held port in eastern Libya on Saturday.

La Russa warned however that imposing a no-fly zone would be "seriously demanding" and said Italy was "worried" because of its position.

"There's no enthusiasm, there is concern. In all of this we have tried to pursue maximum prudence and moderation also because we know that we are closer and more vulnerable, with many interests," La Russa said.

Libya fired two missiles at a now-closed US base on the Italian island of Lampedusa in 1986 in retaliation against US bombings of Tripoli.

Libya's former colonial ruler and top trade partner, Italy has been cautious since the start of the uprising last month and has emphasised the need for wide international agreement on any type of intervention in Libya.

But it has gradually stepped up its stance against Moamer Kadhafi's regime in line with the rest of the international community.

Italy and Libya are bound by a 2008 friendship treaty that officially forbids the use of air bases in Italy to bomb Libya but Frattini on Friday said that the UN resolution effectively cancelled the treaty.

Libya earlier warned Italy against taking part in international action.

"Let's hope Italy keeps out of this initiative," Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Kaaim told the Italian news agency ANSA in Tripoli on Thursday.

"We are certain Italy has Libya's integrity and the protection of the population at heart. Let's hope that it doesn't consent to the use of its bases."

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