Washington ( CNN ) -- The U.S. government stepped up its humanitarian relief effort for Libya on Friday , sending two C-130 military transport planes loaded with supplies to neighboring Tunisia . Each aircraft carried three pallets of aid supplies , including 2,000 blankets , 40 rolls of plastic sheeting and 9,600 10-liter water cans , according to a statement from the U.S. Agency for International Development . The supplies , meant to help up to 2,000 people , will be handed off to Tunisia 's Red Crescent organization for distribution , the statement noted . The relief operation -- designed to help those who have fled the Libyan violence -- is named Odyssey Dawn , Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said . American authorities are considering multiple ways to assist in the crisis , but are currently focused primarily on humanitarian efforts , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters . The Obama administration remains deeply `` concerned with the ongoing violence ... initiated and perpetrated '' by the government of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi , she said . Clinton noted , however , that there is currently `` a lot of confusion on the ground '' in Libya that makes it tough to understand exactly what is happening there . Addressing reporters on Air Force One , White House Press Secretary Jay Carney reiterated the administration 's position that Gadhafi needs to step aside . `` Col. Gadhafi has no legitimacy and should step down and should cease all violence , '' Carney said . `` We believe that that would result in a more peaceful Libya . '' The violence in Libya escalated Friday as pro-government forces took control of Zawiya , a city near Tripoli , according to state TV . One source reported the deaths of 15 people and injuries to at least 200 others . A doctor at a hospital in Zawiya told CNN `` there is a river of blood '' where the wounded were being treated . He described the situation as `` very bad , '' with the facility running out of medical supplies . Forces loyal to Gadhafi also clashed Friday with opponents of the regime in the eastern city of Ras Lanuf , opposition fighters and commanders said . Roughly 200,000 people have fled the intensifying violence in Libya , according to the International Organization for Migration . The number of people trying to leave , however , has declined heavily as armed government forces have intensified their presence on the Tunisian border and on roads leading up to it , the United Nations refugee agency has noted . A number of key congressional leaders have been pressuring the White House to establish a no-fly zone over parts of Libya to aid Gadhafi 's opponents and ease the humanitarian crisis . Gadhafi 's `` air defense systems are certainly old and it ( should not be ) a major challenge ... to impose a no-fly zone , '' Sen. John McCain , R-Arizona , asserted Friday . While the administration has shifted additional military resources closer to Libya , it has refused to commit to such a course of action so far . CNN 's Alan Silverleib and Barbara Starr contributed to this report .
The U.S. government has sent two C-130 cargo planes to Tunisia . The airplanes have supplies meant to help with the humanitarian crisis in Libya . U.S. authorities are considering multiple ways to help , Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says . Sen. John McCain is among those pushing to create a no-fly zone in Libya .