The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is an intergovernmental military alliance between 32 member states from Europe and North America. Founded on the principle of collective defense, the Alliance commits members to protect each other in response to an attack. Beyond territorial defense, the Alliance aims to ensure global security with active crisis management, mediation, conflict prevention and peacekeeping operations.

Following protests in Zawiya in 2009 and Benghazi in 2011, turning into rebellions, various armed groups aiming to topple Muammar Gaddafi and his government started clashing with forces loyal to Gaddafi, leading to the Libyan Civil War. In order to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, a NATO coalition began the invasion of Libya, while taking control over the arms embargo with Operation Unified Protector, and implementing a no-fly zone. The invasion and bombing by NATO was successful, and the campaign came to an end with the lynching and murder of Gaddafi, followed by the overthrowing of his government—the rebel groups took control and established a new government. Following instabilities, another civil war started in Libya in 2014.