A NATO airstrike killed 19 people and injured over 130 others in Tripoli overnight Tuesday, a government spokesman said.

Moussa Ibrahim told Xinhua that the air raid, the heaviest against the capital in more than two months, lasted over one hour, and also caused huge property damage.

The NATO military carried out over a dozen attacks against "barracks of the people's guards," who are volunteer units supporting the government forces.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya residence was also severely damaged, and the windows of some civilian buildings several kilometers from the residence were shattered.

Locals said the raid caused them to panic as they failed to find shelters.

Late Tuesday, NATO conducted another air attack against the residence, and very powerful explosions could be heard from far away.