The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has launched its heaviest air strike in Libya’s capital of Tripoli a couple of months since Odyssey Dawn started aiming to end Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.

Six loud explosions was heard all over Tripoli on Tuesday in a span of 10 minutes, following another powerful strike conducted 24 hours earlier, including one on Gaddafi’s compound. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe revealed Tuesday that NATO’s bombing operation was making progress and should be able to accomplish its objectives in a few months. A NATO official revealed that Tuesday’s operation was “the most concentrated to date.”

France, Britain, and the United States are at the forefront of the air strikes, launched March 19 after the UN Security Council sanctioned the operation aimed at protecting civilians from government forces. The three countries are bent on forcing the Libyan leader to give up his position.

France revealed that it would launch attack helicopters this week to ensure more precise attacks against loyal forces integrated among the civilians of Libyan cities. The British military is considering a similar action. According to military analysts, the intense air strikes directed towards Tripoli is a reflection of the Western powers concern that the civil war is dragging on indecisively. However, they believe that such efforts will not have an impact on the balance of power.

While critics believe that the alliance has overstepped its mandate, rebel forces feel that it is not exerting enough effort to weaken Gaddafi’s military. The Libyan leader rejected claims that his forces are targeting civilians and called the rebels as criminals, religious extremists, and members of the al Qaeda.

The United States strengthened the credentials of the Benghazi-based National Transitional Council as a possible transition government when it was invited by a US envoy to establish a representative office in Washington. However, compared to France, Italy, and Qatar, the US has not established formal diplomatic relations with the rebels. Jordan, on the other hand, recognized the council as a legitimate representative of Libya and is planning to set up an office in Benghazi.

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