ZAWIYA — A drone strike hit a gasoline storage tank at the Zawiya oil refinery on Monday, August 10, 2026. The impact caused the tank to collapse and ignited a fire that burned through the night.

The struck tank, identified as tank number 402-T belonging to Brega Oil Company, contained approximately 4.5 million liters of gasoline. A second drone struck near a key oil tank and pipeline network at the refinery but caused no casualties or damage. Two drones struck the town's power plant, damaging its firefighting system, while another landed close to the main fuel storage.

The National Oil Corporation declared a state of maximum emergency at the facility. Firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze and cool adjacent tanks on Tuesday, August 11, 2026. Libya's Ambulance and Emergency Service reported no serious injuries, with most treated patients suffering from smoke inhalation.

The Zawiya refinery is located approximately 40 to 47 kilometers west of Tripoli. The facility has a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. No group has claimed responsibility for the drone attacks on the Zawiya refinery.

Timeline

Earlier coverage on 2026-07-24 reported: Ukrainian drone strike ignites major blaze at Saint Petersburg warehouses. Drone strikes hit a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant at the Zawiya refinery on Saturday and Sunday prior to the Monday attack. Two drones struck the town's power plant, damaging its firefighting system, while another landed close to the main fuel storage.

A drone strike hit a gasoline storage tank at the Zawiya oil refinery on Monday, August 10, 2026. The struck tank, identified as tank number 402-T belonging to Brega Oil Company, contained approximately 4.5 million liters of gasoline. The National Oil Corporation declared a state of maximum emergency at the facility. A second drone struck near a key oil tank and pipeline network at the refinery but caused no casualties or damage. The impact caused the tank to collapse and ignited a fire that burned through the night.

What's New

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) declared a 'maximum emergency' in the region and urged authorities to launch an investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Brega Oil Company also appealed to all parties to stop the fighting and stay away from oil facilities and depots. The Brega Oil Company declared a 'maximum emergency' in the region and urged authorities to launch an investigation. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) also called for an investigation into the incident.

The House of Representatives’ Energy and Natural Resources Committee condemned in the strongest terms the criminal attack targeting the Zawiya Refinery, one of the most vital facilities in the oil and gas sector that is a cornerstone of the national economy. Drone strikes hit a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant at the Zawiya refinery on Saturday and Sunday prior to the Monday attack. Earlier coverage on 2026-07-24 reported: Ukrainian drone strike ignites major blaze at Saint Petersburg warehouses. The Zawiya refinery has a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. The National Oil Corporation stated it would declare force majeure and suspend operations if attacks on the refinery continue. Much of western Libya is ruled by local militias loosely allied to Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah's government in Tripoli.

Why It Matters

The Zawiya refinery represents a cornerstone of the national economy with a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day. The NOC warned it would declare force majeure and suspend operations if attacks on the refinery continue. This declaration would halt production at a facility located approximately 40 to 47 kilometers west of Tripoli.

US company GE halted all work at the Zawiya power station and withdrew its technical teams following the latest attack, pending an improvement in security conditions. The General Electricity Company of Libya stated that an attack on the South Zawiya substation caused a complete outage and loss of power supply to wide areas south of the city of Zawiya.