1986 United States bombing of Libya — US April 1986 military operation in Libya
The first direct US military strike on a sovereign Arab state, targeting Libya in retaliation for a terrorist bombing attributed to Gaddafi.
Key Facts
- Operation codename
- Operation El Dorado Canyon
- Date of strikes
- 15 April 1986
- Libyan casualties reported
- 40
- US aircraft shot down
- 1 F-111 Aardvark
- US personnel killed
- 2 USAF captains
- Primary strike aircraft
- F-111 Aardvark and A-6E Intruder
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
On 5 April 1986, a bomb exploded at the La Belle discotheque in West Berlin, killing two US servicemen and a Turkish civilian. President Ronald Reagan publicly blamed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for sponsoring the attack, citing intercepted Libyan communications as evidence.
On 15 April 1986, USAF F-111s launched from RAF Fairford and US Navy A-6E Intruders from carriers USS America and USS Coral Sea struck targets in Libya including command centers, a training camp, and two airports. France, Spain, and Italy refused overflight rights, complicating the mission's routing.
Forty Libyan casualties were reported, including reportedly Gaddafi's infant daughter Hana, though her death and existence remain disputed. Two US pilots died when their F-111 was shot down over the Gulf of Sidra. Libya released one pilot's remains in 1989 and denied holding the other, which the pilot's family disputed.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Ronald Reagan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Muammar Gaddafi.