TRIPOLI: Nato warplanes carried out raids Tuesday on the towns of Khoms and Nalut in western Libya, state television and official news agency JANA reported.

Nato targeted two checkpoints in the Khoms region 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Tripoli, the television report said. It added that the control points were “civilian” intended to “organise traffic movements.”

If the strikes were confirmed, it would mean the Western alliance had moved into a new stage of operations in the west of Libya, aiming at checkpoints on the highways leading into the capital Tripoli.

Until now, Nato had limited itself to attacks on military installations and armour.

JANA meanwhile reported raids on Al-Ghazaya in the Nalut region southwest of Tripoli. This region has for months been the scene of violent clashes between rebels and troops loyal to leader Moamer Qadhafi.