In Libya, Muammar Gaddafi's forces launched a fresh large-scale offensive in another oil-producing town of Brega unleashing aerial raids. Rebel forces retreated from Ras Lanuf, although some reports claimed that they retained control of the residential parts of the town. A report put out by Al-Jazeera channel said there was a sustained aerial, artillery and mortar bombardment and columns of Gaddhafi's tanks, after over-running most of the oil town of Ras Lanuf were headed towards the eastern coastal highway. The opposition leaders in Libya sent messages for western intervention. Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the head of the rebel National Council in Libya asked US and Nato forces to impose a flight and sea blockade of the country to ground Gaddafi's fighter jets and the army. The western powers are holding talks on Libyan crisis in Brussels. Meanwhile, mounting pressure on his authoritarian regime, the Obama Administration has slapped sanctions against Gaddafi’s wife, children and senior officials. As a result of the latest action, assets of the designees subject to US jurisdiction are frozen, and the US nationals are prohibited from engaging in business with them.Earlier on February 25, President Obama signed an executive order, on freezing the assets of Gaddafi regime following the use of violence against civilians and human rights abuses in Libya and safeguarding the assets of the people of Libya from expropriation by Gaddafi. To date, the US has frozen more than 32 billion dollar in Government of Libya assets.