On 23 June, the ‘Movement of the Will of the People’ called for a protest on 24 June in front of the UN mission headquarters in Janzour and a sit-in at the Mellitah Oil and Gas Complex. According to them, this escalation aims to pressure the Dabaiba government and the international community. The movement’s statement emphasized that the sit-in at the Mellitah complex sends a direct message to Italy: ‘Libyan gas will not be exported if war breaks out,’ signalling the use of economic leverage for political pressure.
On 26 June, there were protests in front of the Mellitah Oil and Gas Complex demanding that the Italian government support the will of the Libyan people and stop supporting PM Abdul Hameed Dabaiba. They affirm that they will use all deterrent means against the countries supporting the Dabaiba government. Forces under Western Coastal Region Commander Salahadeen al-Namroush reportedly deployed to break up the protest. Mellitah remains operational at the time of writing on 1 July 2025.