Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi said the Mediterranean has turned into a "real battlefield" after Western air strikes today and opened arms depots for his people to defend the country.

Gaddafi, in a brief audio message broadcast on state television, condemned the allied Western attacks on Libya as "barbaric, unjustified Crusaders' aggression."

He vowed to retaliate with military and civilian targets in the Mediterranean, warning that the interests of Mediterranean and North African countries were now "in danger."

"The Mediterranean region has become a real battlefield," he said. "Arms depots have been opened and all the Libyan people are being armed" to defend the country against Western forces.

British, French and US forces earlier today launched strikes from the air and sea against Gaddafi's forces under a UN Security Council resolution to impose a ceasefire in a month-long showdown between loyalists and rebels.

US and British forces fired a barrage of at least 112 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Libya against Gaddafi's air defences, the US military said. France said it carried out an initial four air strikes.

The US said the Libyan air defence capability had been severely disabled.