The Obama administration is preparing to turn over control of the Libyan no-fly zone to NATO, though American warplanes will continue to participate in the military assault against forces loyal to Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi, administration officials said Thursday. “We have agreed along with our NATO allies to transition command and control of the no-fly zone,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday evening.

Though details were still being worked out, NATO’s 28 member nations could take control of enforcing the no-fly zone by this weekend, a move that would be in keeping with Obama’s stated goal of limiting U.S. participating in the military action.