TUNIS – Informed sources told The Arab Weekly that the warplanes that targeted al-Watiya airbase in western Libya were Rafale jets, which limits the identity of the attacking power to France and Egypt, the two countries within the range of the base that possess this type of aircraft.

The sources considered the attack a quick response to Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar’s visit to Tripoli, which reflected the extent of Turkish persistence in western Libya.

The Turkish presence in Libya is highly worrisome to both Cairo and Paris, pushing them to raise the tone of their criticism of Ankara. Cairo has threatened to intervene militarily in Libya if the Turkish-backed Tripoli militias tried to advance towards Sirte, while Paris described the Turkish moves as “unacceptable,” stressing that it would not allow this to continue.

But this recent airstrike on al-Watiya air base showed that the red lines in airspace differ from the red lines on land drawn by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Indeed, basing fighter planes and military drones in al-Watiya constitute a direct threat to any army units deployed in Sirte, al-Jufra base and eastern Libya.

Sisi has floated the possibility of his country directly intervening in Libya, pointing out that Egypt “will not allow the conflict in Libya to cross the Sirte line.” He also stressed that, “with regard to Egypt’s security, al-Jufra is a red line that we will not allow any force to cross.”

Egyptian news websites published undated photos of Hawk missile batteries and radars, which they said were among the targets attacked in al-Watiya.

Sisi has discussed the possibility of directly intervening in Libya, pointing out that Egypt “will not allow the conflict in Libya to cross the Sirte line.” He also emphasised that “with regard to Egypt’s security, al-Jufra is a red line that we will not allow any force to cross.”

The Tripoli government accused “a foreign air force” of bombing al-Watiya base, without furnishing any information on the identity of the aircraft or the targets attacked. Even though Turkish and Qatari media rejected any casualties, the Libyan source, however, claimed that many Turkish soldiers were injured or dead in the airstrikes by Rafale jets.

A retired Libyan army officer revealed to Arab Weekly that a squadron of fighter planes launched a series of airstrikes on al-Watiya base as the French jets dodged all radars and air defence installations. Turkey had deployed F-16 aircraft, Bayraktar TB2 and Anka-S drones, backed by a MIM-23 Hawk air defence system with its radars.

He further said that the air raids targeted the al-Nadab quarters at al-Watiya base, which the Turkish forces on the base had used as their headquarters since last May. Also targeted were Sungur air defence systems, fixed and mobile radar installations and Koral signal jamming system, which the Ankara had deployed at al-Watiya base.