Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has resigned his post and handed the authority for running the country's affairs to the military, bowing to 18 days of pressure by pro-democracy demonstrators who refused to accept anything less than an end to his three decades of authoritarian rule.
Jubilation erupted across the country at the news that Mubarak had left office, with thousands of Egyptians in Cairo, Alexandria, and other cities pouring into the streets to celebrate, dance, chant "Goodbye! Goodbye!" and wave Egyptian flags.
Fireworks were shot into the sky and car horns were sounded as people celebrated the fall of the regime they say has kept the country poor and oppressed for 30 years.
The announcement that the 82-year-old president was stepping down and handing control to the army came in a brief statement by Vice President Omar Suleiman on state TV at 6 p.m. local time.
"My fellow citizens. In this difficult time that the country is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to relieve himself of his position as president. He has tasked the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to take control of the state's affairs. May God protect us," Suleiman said.
Almost instantly, tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in Cairo erupted in a frenzy of celebration, dancing, and waving Egyptian flags and chanting, "The people have brought down the regime!" People hugged and cried, and shouted, "Egypt is free!"
Hours earlier, Mubarak and his family left Cairo, arriving just before sundown in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he has a resort home.
The country is now ruled by the Armed Forces Supreme Council, which is the military's top body consisting of top generals and headed by Defense Minister Muhammad Hossein Tantawi.