Mubarak's resignation passes power to the military, and specifically to a military group called the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. Who are these figures? An profile on the International Business Times (via al Jazeera) outlines the key players:

    -  Omar Suleiman, 74, who was promoted by Mubarak as VP less than two weeks ago from his previous position as intelligence chief. He is among the retired or serving military officers in the council.

    -  Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, 75, who became the minister of defense and commander-in-chief of the Egyptian Armed forces in 1991, according to the network.

    On the Egypt Armed Forces website, Tantawi is listed second on the list of commanders behind the "Supreme Commander," Hosni Mubarak.

    -  Lt. Gen. Sami Hafez Anan, 63, who holds the title of Armed Forces Chief of Staff, according to the network. Anan is listed third on the armed forces website, behind Tantawi.

    -  Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed, 58, the air force chief, is also on the council, Al Jazeera reported.

    -  Lt. Gen. Abd El Aziz Seif-Eldeein, the commander of air defense

    -  Vice Admiral Mohab Mamish, chief of the navy.

    The council issued a statement on Friday ahead of the announcement of Mubarak's resignation, the Associated Press reported.

Though Suleiman has been denounced for his role as head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Services, he will still have a role in the key transistion. However, the key figure at the moment appears to be Field Marshall Tantawi.

Tantawi, who has served as commander in chief of the armed forces since 1991, is in control of the council and presumably the transition. An excerpt from one of the Wilikleaks cables describes him in terms comparable to Mubarak, as a figure concerned primarily with maintaining order and the status quo:   

Tantawi has opposed both economic and political reforms that he perceives as eroding central government power. He is supremely concerned with national unity, and has opposed policy initiatives he views as encouraging political or religious cleavages within Egyptian society.

Tantawi visited Tahrir Square on February 4 in a move that appeared to reflect solidarity with the protesters, but fell short of endorsing their goals of removing Mubarak.

However, as popular anger mounted and activist and Nobel laureate Mohammed El Baradei practically pleaded with the army to take control of the situation, Tantawi and his allies apparently felt they could wait no longer.

In their statement upon taking power earlier today, the Council stated plans to lift the decades-long state of emergency, and conduct presidential elections in a timely fashion. It also promised that the protesters would not be subject to reprisal from the security services.