It would be just like Obama to quietly rejoin the NATO air campaign against Gaddafi's forces after telling the American people that we would let the French lead the effort.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates confirmed a drone attack on a Gaddafi missile launcher yesterday, but also said on Thursday that Obama "had approved air strikes in support of the Nato-led mission."

The BBC:

Gen James Cartwright, the vice-chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said forces loyal to Col Gaddafi were digging in or "nestling up against crowded areas" to avoid being targeted by Nato warplanes.

The more precise Predators bring "their ability to get down lower and therefore, to be able to get better visibility, particularly on targets that have started to dig themselves into defensive positions," he added.

The BBC's Peter Biles in Benghazi says the first drone attack in Libya could mark the start of a new phase of Nato's air campaign.

It is certainly a further attempt to protect civilians who are under attack from Libyan government forces, our correspondent adds.

Previously, US aircraft were used almost exclusively to fly missions in support of the no-fly zone. But NATO's call for more combat aircraft has apparently caused Obama to reluctantly order our planes and drones into the fray again.

Maybe they should announce a change in policy like that? Nah...no one cares.