USS Barry launches a Tomahawk missile in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn. (U.S. Navy)

Hours after five Western nations opened a new battleground in the Middle East, Col. Muammar Gaddafi vowed to defend against the "colonial crusade" by opening access to Libyan's arsenal of arms to everyone.

Speaking to Libyan state television via telephone just before Sunday arrived in Libya, Gaddafi said "This aggression only makes the Libyan people more stronger."

He said by letting anyone grab a gun from Libya's stockpile they would be able to "defend Libya, its unity and sovereignty and might."

"Gaddafi threatened to attack both military and civilian targets in the Mediterranean in retaliation against air and sea strikes on Libyan air defenses," Al Jazeera noted.