Allied forces pounded several targets in the Libyan capital Tripoli overnight and in the early hours of Thursday, in what was the most intense night of bombing since the start of the campaign to cripple Col. Moammar Gadhafi's military capabilities, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Intermittent explosions could be heard starting on Wednesday night local-time and lasting until dawn on Thursday. The sound of antiaircraft fire was quieter than on other nights, suggesting that coalition forces may have degraded the abilities of Libyan forces in this respect.

A French defense ministry spokesman Thursday said the French air force overnight attacked and hit a Libyan air base about 250 kilometers south of the Libyan coastline, without giving more detail of the base's location. The attack was carried out by aircraft including Rafale and Mirage jet fighters. The U.K. fired Tomahawk missiles at air-defense systems from a submarine, a Ministry of Defense spokeswoman said.

In Tripoli, Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kaim said a microwave tower in the capital's eastern suburb of Tajura and fuel tanks south of the capital were struck, but offered few details, such as whether there were casualties.

Residents said military installations in Tajura were targeted. They included a base for radar systems and the military-engineering academy, both close to residential areas.

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