About 2% of Bombs Struck Libyan Civilian Areas, Pentagon Says

The Air Force and Navy apparently dropped at least 250 bombs on Tripoli and the port city of Benghazi during the 12-minute pre-dawn raid on Libya last month, a Pentagon report made public Thursday indicated.

No more than 2% of the bombs struck civilian areas, by the Pentagon’s account, and the attacking aircraft “met the established objectives.”

However, the 2 1/2-page report lacks the superlatives that Pentagon officials used immediately after the raid to describe the mission. In addition, it appears to contradict Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger, who said on the night of the raid that it was “virtually impossible” that U.S. bombs damaged the French Embassy in Tripoli.

Responsibility Conceded

Conceding for the first time that its weapons were apparently responsible for that damage, the Pentagon said three bombs that struck civilian areas were “probably from one F-111, and it seems likely they impacted in the vicinity” of the embassy.

The State Department, meanwhile, said that the Reagan Administration is working on political and economic sanctions that can be taken by the United States and its allies to put additional pressure on Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi.

The Pentagon report was issued, one defense source said, to put to rest questions about the success of the raid and the damage done by bombs dropped by the Air Force F-111 fighter-bombers, flying from bases in England, and the carrier-based Navy A-6 and A-7 light-attack jets that struck what were described as military targets at 2 a.m. on April 15.

Two ‘Near-Misses’

In addition to three bombs that landed near the French Embassy, the Pentagon said, “two other bombs were near-misses from the attack on the Benghazi Barracks.” This facility is believed by the United States to have been an alternate command center for Libyan-sponsored terrorist operations.

These bombs “fell some 700 yards off target and damaged two civilian houses plus some adjacent walls and out-buildings,” the report said. Thus, the weapons--which the Navy has claimed are accurate to within 9 to 11 yards--missed their targets by nearly half a mile.

Libya Damage Claims

On the basis of U.S. photographs taken of the Libyan sites--presumably from high-altitude SR-71 spy planes and satellites--”this is the only collateral damage we can say may have been caused by U.S. weapons,” the report said.

Libya has claimed that other extensive damage occurred during the raids. The Pentagon, however, said that any such damage was most likely caused by Libyan anti-aircraft fire missing the U.S. warplanes and falling to the ground.

‘Strike a Success’

By saying that no more than 2% of the bombs fell on civilian areas and listing five bombs as having struck such sites, the Pentagon appeared to indicate that at least 250 bombs were dropped by the 27 planes that reached the targets.

One F-111 is believed to have crashed into the Mediterranean Sea near Tripoli and, the report said, one plane did not release its bombs over the target “to preclude collateral damage.”

Nevertheless, the report said, “in terms of equipment performance, the strike was a success.”

Pentagon spokesman Robert B. Sims said the United States is working with the Belgian government, which maintains an embassy in Tripoli, to obtain information about the two fliers aboard the downed F-111. The United States and Libya do not have diplomatic relations. Sims said that no response has been received from Libya on the two men, who have been declared killed in action.

A State Department official, speaking on condition that he not be identified, said the Administration is giving primary consideration to banning refined petroleum products containing Libyan oil. Direct imports of Libyan oil were cut off by President Reagan in 1982 in retaliation for Libyan terrorist acts, and all other direct trade was blocked by sanctions imposed last Jan. 7 after terrorist attacks on the airports in Rome and Vienna.

Because U.S.-Libyan trade had fallen to an insignificant level before the sanctions were introduced in January, the official acknowledged that allied cooperation is necessary to bring further economic pressure on Kadafi.

Cutting Libya’s air routes and credit are believed to be two options. Libyan airlines serve European capitals and European airlines serve Tripoli--providing the Libyans with quick access to world commercial and communications centers. Possible restriction of banks in which Libya has acquired interest is also being considered, the official said.