Allied forces have destroyed the Libyan air force and are flying with impunity across its airspace, attacking ground troops wherever they threaten the civilian population, a senior British commander said on March 23.

"We are now applying sustained and unrelenting pressure on the Libyan armed forces," Air Vice Marshal Greg Bagwell said, according to the text of remarks at an airbase in southern Italy where British jets are based.

"Effectively, their air force no longer exists as a fighting force, and his integrated air defence system and command and control networks are severely degraded to the point that we can operate with near impunity across Libya."

He said he expected "some changes" in the command structure of allied forces but said the operation would continue seamlessly, Reuters reported.