Benghazi, Libya (Creative Commons)

Libya closed its Benghazi airport fearing that anti-aircraft military aiming at U.S. drones spotted Thursday night would put passenger planes in danger.

According Reuters, Deputy Interior Minister Wanis al-Sharif said that Libyan authorities had knowledge of the two drones that then "came under attack by anti-aircraft weapons used by armed militias" when spotted.

"For this reason, Benghazi security decided to close down the Benghazi airport air space. Any decision to allow an operation of any sort on Libya soil will be made in coordination with the congress and the new government," al-Sharif told Reuters.

The drones follow the U.S. military's deployment of Marines to Tripoli on Wednesday, one day after the killings of U.S. Ambassador, Christopher Stevens, and two other American diplomats by gunmen who attacked the U.S. consulate in Libya. The attack is believed to have been perpetrated by an American-made film that contained offensive material about the Prophet Mohammad.

Find more Neon Tommy coverage on Libya here.
Reach Executive Paige Brettingen here.