Along the banks of the sea was built a military airport, Mellaha (now Mitiga International Airport). As part of the Libyan Campaign (1913-1921) during World War I, on October 2, 1916, the 12th Caproni Squadron arrived at the Mellaha flight field and on October 10, 1916, the 2 Farman Sections became the 104th Defense Farm Squadron on Mellaha Air Field. At the beginning of 1919, the 90th Squadron also arrived. The base was also used by the Italian Air Force and the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Later it played host to an American aviation base under the name of "Wheelus Air Base" until 1970, and after the 1969 Gaddafi coup, it again changed names to "Oqba ben Nāfi Air Base" and was one of the main operational installations of military functions of the Libyan Air Force and took a secondary role in regards to civil aviation.