Special Operations.Com

Operation El Dorado Canyon

Tripoli, Libya

April 1986

Overview

U.S. aircraft attack "terrorist-related targets" in Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya. The airstrike, involving carrier-based Navy bombers and F-111s based in Great Britain, is in retaliation for the recent bombing of a West Berlin discotheque that killed an American serviceman and as a deterrence to future terrorist attacks. Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi said his adopted infant daughter had been killed in the raid, along with other civilians. Among the targets hit in the raid are an aquatic facility specially designed for training terrorists in maritime attacks.

Picture: A pilot (foreground) and weapons system officer (WSO) in the cockpit of an F-111F at night.

Web Sites and Articles

SR-71 Blackbird - Used as a reconnaissance platform prior to and after the raid.

RAF Lakenheath - UK staging base for El Dorado Canyon

F-111 officially retires as the 'Aardvark'

Suspects arrested in 1986 German disco bombing - October 11, 1996

Video

Reagan addresses the public:

2.0M QuickTime Movie (160x120) / 6.8M QuickTime Movie (320x240)

Reagan cites reasons for the strike:

2.0M QuickTime Movie (160x120) / 7.3M QuickTime Movie (320x240)

CNN's John Donvan describes the attack:

1.6M QuickTime Movie (160x120) / 5.6M QuickTime Movie (320x240)

Damage to civilian areas:

2.8M QuickTime Movie (160x120) / 9.1M QuickTime Movie (320x240)

Civilian reactions:

3M QuickTime Movie (160x120) / 8.4M QuickTime Movie (320x240)

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