Violence has marred Yemen’s presidential election, which ended three decades of rule by the US’s key ally in the region, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Nato aircraft destroyed the guard towers at Muammar Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli, then staged a daytime strike on the city, a Nato official has said.

Nato carried out a daytime air strike on Tripoli on Saturday after a fifth straight night of attacks, adding to pressure for Muammar Gaddafi to quit.

Nato hammered Tripoli on Tuesday with some of their heaviest air strikes yet after the US said Muammar Gaddafi would be forced from power.

Nato must broaden the range of targets it is bombing in Libya or risk failing to remove Muammar Gaddafi from power, a senior British officer said.

State television showed footage of Muammar Gaddafi meeting officials in a Tripoli hotel, ending doubt over his fate since a air strike killed his son.