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On 4 July 2020, forces of the Libyan National Army (LNA) launched airstrikes on Al-Watiya Air Base in the desert southwest of Tripoli, destroying Turkish military equipment, including anti-air defences, sent from Turkey to the Government of National Accord (GNA).
| 2020 Al-Watiya airstrike | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Second Libyan Civil War | |
| Type | Air strike |
| Location | |
| Target | Turkish military equipment |
| Date | 4 July 2020 |
| Executed by |  Libyan National Army United Arab Emirates (alleged) Egypt (alleged) |
| Casualties | MIM-23 Hawk system destroyed |
This attack destroyed the MIM-23 Hawk air defence systems and the Koral system just two days after Turkey deployed them in the air base.[1][2][3] Turkey remained a major supporter of the GNA, supplying drones and deploying thousands of Syrian mercenaries, including militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.[4] Turkish officials condemned the airstrikes and vowed "retribution". One Turkish official said the aircraft were likely to be Dassault Mirage fighters belonging to the United Arab Emirates.[5] Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said Egypt "will not allow the conflict in Libya to cross the Sirte line" and that "with regard to Egypt’s security, al-Jufra is a red line that we will not allow any force to cross".[6]
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