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Libya's Energy Infrastructure Under Siege as Drone Strikes Target Key Refinery

The Zawiya refinery is reeling after a wave of drone attacks, exposing the deep-seated instability that has plagued the nation since the fall of Gaddafi.

Foreign PolicyPublished August 11, 2026 at 8:28 AM
A fire in a storage tank burns as firefighters work to control the blaze

The Zawiya refinery, Libya's largest operational energy facility, is currently battling the aftermath of a devastating drone strike that occurred Monday evening. This assault marks the third such attack in just two days, signaling a dangerous escalation in the violence that continues to cripple the nation's infrastructure.

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) confirmed that a fuel tank holding approximately 4.5 million liters was directly struck, resulting in a massive fire and the eventual collapse of the structure. While emergency services reported no serious injuries, the NOC has issued a stern warning that operations may be suspended entirely if these hostile acts persist.

The refinery, which boasts an output of 120,000 barrels per day, has been a repeated target, with previous strikes hitting a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant. These attacks are a stark reminder of the chaos that has defined Libya since the 2011 ousting of Muammar Gaddafi.

In the power vacuum left behind, the country remains fractured between the Tripoli-based administration of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah and the eastern forces led by military commander Khalifa Haftar. As these rival factions continue their struggle for dominance, the nation's economic backbone remains caught in the crossfire.

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libyaenergyforeign-policymiddle-east

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