Drone strikes, intelligence chief’s killing expose Libya’s fragile balance

Libya is once again grappling with fears of instability as drone attacks target vital energy infrastructure in the west and a senior intelligence official is assassinated in the east. The timing of these events, occurring close together, has fueled speculation about a potential escalation of violence or a struggle for dominance among Libyan factions.

In Benghazi, Maj.-Gen. Fawzi al-Mansouri, head of military intelligence for Khalifa Haftar’s eastern forces, was killed on August 10 by an explosive device detonated in his vehicle. Al-Mansouri was a high-ranking official in the eastern security apparatus, and his assassination has raised questions about security in a region that had been presented as having overcome past instability. An investigation is underway, but no suspects or motives have been publicly identified.

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The National Oil Corporation said firefighters had contained the blazes and that the refinery itself was not damaged, although production was briefly disrupted. It warned that more attacks could force it to suspend operations.

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers to the west, drone strikes targeted energy facilities in Zawiya, a critical hub for Libya's oil production and fuel distribution. On August 9, drone attacks began, and the following night, a drone struck a gasoline storage tank at the Zawiya oil complex, west of Tripoli. The strike caused a major fire and the collapse of the tank, which held approximately 4.5 million liters of gasoline. While firefighters contained the blaze and the refinery itself was not significantly damaged, the National Oil Corporation warned that further attacks could disrupt operations. The complex houses Libya's largest operating refinery.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah condemned the drone strikes as organized crime and vowed accountability. The dual incidents underscore the fragile balance in Libya as the country navigates potential political negotiations, with the simultaneous attacks on energy infrastructure and the high-profile assassination raising concerns about a renewed contest for power and influence.

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Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who heads the internationally recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli, condemned the strikes as organized crime and promised to hold those responsible accountable.