Pentagon says 'too early to judge mission success'
The Pentagon says it is too early to judge the success of the missions against the Taliban.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld described the raids as the start of a campaign.
The United States and Britain launched 50 cruise missiles against terrorist targets inside Afghanistan.
The attack also involved sophisticated warplanes.
General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said 15 bombers and 25 strike aircraft, both sea and land-based, launched the missiles.
General Myers, sworn into office less than a week ago, says the attacks included B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers as well as ships and submarines in the region.
He says the B-2s flew round trips from their base at Whitman Air Force Base in Missouri.
Mr Rumsfeld says an initial goal of the strikes was to render air defences ineffective and to wipe out the military aircraft of the Taliban.
He added: "The whole world stands united at this time. It is not about religion or individual terrorist or countries. We share the belief that terrorism is a cancer on the human condition and we intend to oppose it wherever it is.
"A variety of weapon systems have been used, land and sea based aircraft and surface ships and a variety of weapons to achieve our aims. Dozens of countries contributed in significant ways including by use of landing rights. It's important to go after aircraft and Taliban aircraft."
He says no US aircraft had been shot down by the Taliban forces.
