Libya

Rebels Claim Victory in Misrata

While U.S. conducts first drone strike.

It's been a good day for the Libyan rebels so far. They claimed victory in the city of Misrata as government troops withdrew after nearly two months of laying siege. Meanwhile, the Pentagon said Saturday it has conducted its first Predator drone strike in Libya, two days after President Obama approved the attacks. The drone strike marks the first time since NATO took over the mission of protecting civilians against Muammar Gaddafi's forces that the U.S. has done anything but enforce the no-fly zone or bombed Gaddafi's air defenses. When Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Obama's approval Thursday, he said the drones had the ability to fly lower than AC-130 gunships and better identify Gaddafi's forces hiding in urban areas. Back in Misrata, rebels are triumphant but not overly optimistic. "This whole move is just to buy time," said one rebel. Gaddafi's government tried to portray their withdrawal as a decision to hand the fighting over to the tribes, but the tribes aren't thought to be a powerful force in the area.