Libya's oil war starts
The east's capture of four ports gives it a huge victory in the battle for the country. Oil exports may rise and the conflict could deepen
The opening round of Libya's long-anticipated oil war began this week with the seizure of four key oil ports by eastern general Khalifa Haftar. So comprehensive was the victory that it may also prove to be the closing round. In the aptly named Operation Surprise Lightning launched on the morning of 11 September, Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), loyal to the elected House of Representatives (HoR) parliament in Tobruk, struck at four terminals simultaneously. The move gives the east control of Libya's commanding heights and may be a decisive blow in the country's civil war. It certainly changes the balance of power. It may also herald a recovery in Libyan oil exports, though many obstacles
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
