After months of trying, rebel forces finally and quickly entered the capital city of Tripoli—busting through 42-year dictator Muammar Qaddafi's "ring of steel defense." Ecstatic Libyans are celebrating in the streets, honking their horns, jumping up and down, and chanting "down with Qaddafi! or Khaddafi! or however the fuck you spell it ... Gah!"

Actually we aren't sure about the chants, but people are definitely doing the other things. Qaddafi's forces didn't seem to put up much of a fight in defending Tripoli from the rebels, maybe because they were afraid of being strangled—though Qaddafi himself went on the radio to say he'd remain in the city "until the end." But he might not even be in Tripoli anymore, psyche! Meanwhile, NATO's continued to help the rebels by dropping shit from the sky that helps to clear roads and whatnot. And rebels now say they've captured Qaddafi's son, Saif Al-Islam, and are reportedly "treating him well."

Though it's a victorious day for many Libyans, it's also a heartbreaking one: an estimated 1,300 people have died in the fighting, and 5,000 more have been injured, say some reports. Let's hope the violence subsides soon.

If you'd like to watch the action on the street as it unfolds, Sky TV's got your business. [NYT. Image via AP]