Two days of relentless allied air attacks have largely destroyed Libya's military capabilities and left troops scattered and confused

Two days of relentless allied air attacks have largely destroyed Libya's military capabilities and left troops scattered and confused, according to a statement from the U.S. on Monday.

The Pentagon said Libya's air defences have been crippled and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's ground forces have been stopped from approaching the rebel stronghold of Benghazi -- Libya's second largest city.

Navy Vice Admiral William E. Gortney said Monday the air strikes have been "very effective," and the Pentagon believes Gadhafi's military is "under significant stress."

The report came one day after a cruise missile smashed into an administrative building inside Gadhafi's compound in Tripoli, as international forces kept up their military bombardment.

It wasn't clear where Gadhafi was at the time the missile landed. Prior to the attack, the U.S. had said the Libyan leader wasn't the key target, but rather the goal was to protect civilians and stop Gadhafi's military advance against the rebels.

Meanwhile the U.S., which has so far spearheaded the allied mission, said it planned to hand the reins of the mission over to Britain, France or NATO in a few days.

On Sunday the Libyan government escorted journalists from at least two major news outlets to the scene of a rocket attack to view the damaged building said to be a Gadhafi command centre. The building stands near the Bedouin tent where Gadhafi has been known to entertain foreign guests.