Huge fire breaks out at Libya’s Zawiya refinery after drone attack

What the report says

Firefighters in Libya are battling a major blaze at the Zawiya refinery after a drone attack, according to Al Jazeera, with the country’s National Oil Corporation warning it could declare force majeure and suspend operations if the assaults continue. The refinery, described as Libya’s largest operating facility, is about 40km west of Tripoli and has a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day.

Al Jazeera reported that the fire began on Monday evening at a fuel tank belonging to Brega Oil Company and that the tank contained millions of litres of gasoline. The corporation said the tank was directly hit and later collapsed. It also said earlier attacks had targeted a water desalination plant on Sunday and a naphtha reservoir on Saturday. Later, another drone was reported near an oil blending and filling plant, though no casualties were reported in that incident.

Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said there were no serious injuries, with most patients treated for smoke inhalation. The NOC declared a maximum emergency in the region and called for an investigation, while the Brega Oil Company urged all sides to stay away from oil sites. The developments underscore Libya’s continuing security risks, including repeated threats to energy infrastructure amid the country’s split political landscape and competing administrations. That context, reported by Al Jazeera, helps explain why attacks on oil facilities carry broader economic and political significance.