Fighters backing the Government of National Accord (GNA) seized the central district of Al-Dollar after clashes that killed five of their members and wounded 17, they said on social media.
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Precision strikes would target key Islamic State military infrastructure such as tanks, high-caliber weapons and command and control nodes.
The air strikes are the first such USA military intervention co-ordinated with the Libyan unity government.
Paolo Gentiloni described the air strikes as a “positive” development in the battle against IS.
A street sign indicating the entrance to Sirte, Libya. The Two-Way reported that the February strike is said to have killed at least 40 people at what the Pentagon called an ISIS training camp in northeast Libya.
“The US stands with the global community in supporting the GNA as it strives to restore stability and security to Libya”.
Each strike that is part of the new mission will be approved by the commander of U.S. Africa Command, Cook said.
Cook said the GNA has made “great progress” on its own in reducing ISIL’s numbers in Libya: “And we think that this precision airstrike capability, this unique capability that we can provide to their ongoing efforts, can make a difference in this campaign”.
Forces allied with Seraj have been battling Islamic State in Sirte since May.
The U.S. launched a new campaign of airstrikes Monday aimed at dislodging ISIS from its stronghold in Libya.
Prime Minister of Libya’s UN-backed unity government Fayez Serraj said that his government requested USA assistance to help the advance of local forces in Sirte.
For the fighters on the ground, this was a source of frustration. “Most of my friends are happy, but they asked why it did not happen sooner”, Bakoush said.
He said the GNA government had requested the strikes “in recent days”.
The U.S. has been striking ISIS in Iraq and Syria in support of local forces since the fall of 2014.
“We have have close coordination with the GNA, but there are no USA boots on the ground”, Cook responded.
The United Nations-backed Libyan government announced Monday that US military jets were conducting airstrikes against ISIS at the Libyan government’s request.
As pro-GNA militias advanced on Sirte during the last few weeks, they estimated the number of IS fighters was around 300 deeply entrenched within the center of the city of Sirte and they were mainly relying on snipers and booby-traps to inflect more causalities on the attacking forces.
Libya has been in turmoil since the 2011 revolt that toppled long-time dictator Moamer Gaddafi.
On Monday, Sarraj visited pro-government forces in Misrata, 190 kilometres to the northwest of Sirte, his office said.
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The wreck of a vehicle used by an Islamic State suicide bomber, near Sirte.
