A drone strike ignited a massive fire at Libya's Zawiya refinery on Monday evening, collapsing a tank holding roughly 4.5 million litres of fuel at the country's largest operational refining facility. The National Oil Corporation warned it may suspend operations if attacks persist, while Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah condemned the strikes as a serious crime that would not go unanswered.
The NOC described the assault as the fifth drone attack on the complex, which processes 120,000 barrels per day. Two additional drones targeted the Zawiya power plant early Tuesday, with one striking a fire-fighting system. Brega Petroleum Marketing said blazes were contained faster than expected, though operations were disrupted. No serious injuries were reported.
The violence extends beyond oil infrastructure. The Libyan National Army said its intelligence chief Fawzi al-Mansouri was killed in a Benghazi car bombing Monday night. No group has claimed responsibility for the refinery attacks, which come as Libya remains divided between rival eastern and western administrations.