Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has pledged to remain in his 'land dead or alive' after a number of low-flying North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's jets attacked his compound.
According to The Telegraph, 27 heavy blasts were heard from the centre of the city during the day. Libyan officials confirmed that both Bab al-Azizia, the Gaddafi regime's residence and office compound, and the neighbouring Compound 77, home to a militia brigade and used as a vehicle storage facility, were repeatedly hit.
Gaddafi made his comments in a televised broadcast to criticise the attack. His whereabouts are not known.
"We have only one choice: we will stay in our land dead or alive. We will not kneel," he shouted.
"We will not surrender: we only have one choice -- to the end! Death, victory, it does not matter, we are not surrendering," the paper quoted Gaddafi as saying.
"We are stronger than your weapons, than your planes. The voices of the Libyan people are stronger than the sounds of explosions," he added.
Earlier, British Foreign Secretary William Hague had admitted that the military campaign against Gaddafi could last beyond Christmas, as the dictator still has the capability to cling to power for some more time.
Although ministers claimed that the dictator is eroding from within, Hague has given a different picture altogether, saying that "it could take days or weeks or months" to throw Gaddafi out of power.