March 25, 1999
Web posted at: 10:23 a.m. EST (1523 GMT)

BRUSSELS, Belgium (CNN) -- NATO Supreme Commander Gen. Wesley Clark said Thursday that NATO forces hit 40 targets and destroyed three Yugoslav Air Force planes in the first wave of "Operation Allied Force" against Yugoslavia.

Clark said no NATO planes were lost in the attacks, which were launched at nightfall Wednesday to punish Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and his armed forces for continued attacks on ethnic Albanians in the Serbian province of Kosovo.

Clark said initial reports indicated that the Yugoslav jets were downed in several locations. He said U.S. F-15s had shot down two MiG29s, and that a Dutch F-16 had shot down a third jet.

Clark also said attacks by Serb army and security forces on Kosovo Albanians were continuing Thursday.

NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana called the allied attacks a success and warned that the air campaign could continue for days, if not weeks, to come.

Solana said so far there had been "no positive response" from Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. "That's why the attack will continue," he said.