Libyan authorities battle big blaze at major oil refinery

Libyan emergency crews were battling a large fire at the Zawiya refinery on Tuesday after the facility was struck by a drone the previous evening. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said the attack hit a vessel holding approximately 4.5 million litres of substance, triggering a blaze that caused the tank to collapse. NOC added that it would consider suspending operations if further attacks occurred. The Zawiya plant, situated west of Tripoli, is Libya’s largest operational refinery, with a daily output of 120,000 barrels. According to the NOC, the drone strike on Monday marked the third such incident in two days. Earlier strikes had targeted a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant in the same area. Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service reported that no serious injuries were recorded, though several people received treatment for smoke inhalation. The NOC condemned the recent attacks and urged the authorities to identify those responsible. The violence underscores the persistent instability that has gripped Libya since the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi seized power in 1969 and led an autocratic regime for four decades before being overthrown and killed in a NATO‑backed rebellion. Since then, the country has been split between an eastern faction aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar and a western administration based in Tripoli under Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, both vying for political and military control.