A massive fire broke out at Libya’s Zawiya oil refinery after a drone attack targeted a fuel storage tank, prompting the country’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) to warn that continued attacks could force the facility to suspend operations.
The blaze erupted on Monday evening at tank 402-T, operated by the Brega Oil Company. According to the NOC, the tank contained approximately 4.5 million litres of gasoline when it was directly hit, causing a severe fire and eventually leading to the tank’s collapse.
Emergency teams battled thick smoke and huge flames at the refinery, which has a refining capacity of about 120,000 barrels of crude oil per day and is located roughly 40 kilometres west of Libya’s capital, Tripoli.
Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said there were no serious injuries, although several people were treated for smoke inhalation.
The NOC said the latest incident followed two other drone attacks in recent days, including an attack on a water desalination facility at the refinery and another targeting a naphtha storage reservoir.
The oil corporation later reported another drone attack on an oil blending and filling facility. The drone reportedly fell near a major oil storage tank and a pipeline network but caused no casualties or significant damage.
The NOC declared a maximum emergency in the area and called for an investigation to identify those responsible. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The corporation warned that if the attacks continue, it could declare a state of force majeure and suspend operations at the refinery.
The Brega Oil Company also called on all sides to stop fighting around oil facilities, stressing that the country’s oil infrastructure belongs to all Libyans and must be protected as a national asset.
The attacks come amid Libya’s continuing political and security instability. Although a 2020 ceasefire ended major fighting, rival administrations and armed groups continue to wield significant influence across the country.
Libya remains divided between the United Nations-recognised government based in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The Tripoli government said Dbeibah had held a security meeting with senior officials following the attacks and ordered authorities to respond firmly to any actions threatening national security or vital infrastructure.
A parliamentary committee also condemned the attack, describing the Zawiya refinery as one of the country’s most important oil and gas facilities and a key pillar of Libya’s economy.
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