Libyan war planes bombed targets in the central cities of Sirte and Ben Jawad, its air force commander said on Monday. Both locations are home to forces loyal to a self-declared government in Tripoli which the official government says is backed by Islamist militants. Air force commander Saqer al-Joroushi told Reuters the strikes on Sirte and Ben Jawad were a Libyan operation only. He said earlier Libyan planes had joined Egyptian planes which had attacked Islamic State targets in the eastern town of Derna, a day after the group released a video appearing to show the beheading of 21 Egyptians.