Libya's rebel stronghold of Benghazi came under attack on Saturday morning, with at least two air strikes and sustained shelling of the city's south sending thick smoke into the sky.

A fighter plane was shot down and there were mortar and artillery attacks on Saturday morning in the rebel-controlled Libyan city of Benghazi, Al Jazeera reported.

A plane bombed an area Southwest of Libya’s rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Saturday and two columns of smoke were seen rising from the targeted zone, AFP journalists reported.

Overjoyed Libyans poured into the streets of Benghazi on Thursday night to celebrate after the United Nations voted to authorise air strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces.