Explosions rocked Tripoli as Western forces staged fresh air strikes to halt Muamar Gaddafi's attacks on civilians, with one raid flattening a building in the strongman's heavily-fortified residence.

Libyan television said on Thursday that forces loyal to leader Muammar Gaddafi had wrested control of Misrata, one of the last rebel-held bastion, and were "purging" it of insurgents.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi stood firm on Wednesday, accusing the West of plotting to seize his country's oil and the insurgents of being traitors backed by Al Qaeda, as his forces pounded rebel-held areas.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi launched air strikes on a major oil export terminal held by anti-government protesters, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday quoting Al Jazeera. The air strikes near rebel positions east of the oil port of Ras Lanuf follow similar attacks on Monday and Tuesday.

One of embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's sons has warned that civil war would break out if his father is ousted, saying that 'the situation is very dangerous', the broadcaster Al Arabiya reported on Monday on its website.

Libyan troops loyal to Col. Muammar Gaddafi launched counter-offensives on three rebel-held towns on Sunday as the popular uprising escalated into open warfare. The resilience of Col.

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi have regained control of Zawiyah, near Tripoli, from rebel hands, state TV reported on Friday.

Muammar Gaddafi's regime struck back at its opponents with a powerful attack on Friday on the closest opposition-held city to Tripoli and a barrage of tear gas and live ammunition to smother new protests in the capital. At least 37 people died in fighting and in an explosion at an ammunitions depot in Libya's rebellious East.

Troops loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi broke through opposition defences and entered Az Zawiyah city near the country's capital on Saturday.

Libya could descend into civil war if Muammar Gaddafi refuses to quit, the United States said Tuesday,
its demand for an end to his rule carrying new weight after word of unspecified Western military preparations.