A huge explosion was heard on Wednesday near an oil facility outside the Libyan rebel- held town of Ras Lanuf in the east of the country, Al-Arabiya TV reported.

An air force plane loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi hovered low in the sky and carried out the strike between the oil facility and the Mediterranean coast.

It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties or damage in the air strike.

Forces loyal to Gaddafi have been fighting rebels in the east as well as in a handful of towns close to the capital Tripoli, where he has total control.

Dozens have died in a dramatic escalation of the conflict gripping the North African country, as anti-government forces' saw their rapid advance to the capital Tripoli abruptly halted.

Inspired by streets-born protests that had swept Tunisia and Egypt and forced their leaders to step down, thousands of Libyans have started a string of protests against Gaddafi, in power for 42 years.