A bomb planted under an Italian diplomatic car in the Libyan capital of Tripoli was discovered and detonated by experts on Tuesday, the Italian Foreign Ministry said. No one was injured, according to Reuters.

The driver of the car discovered the explosive device when he stopped the vehicle after hearing a strange noise, a ministry spokesman said. Two embassy officials were travelling in the car.

There has been a spate of bombings in recent months in the volatile eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, and four Americans - including the ambassador - were killed there on September 11 last year, but Tripoli has been more secure.

The Foreign Ministry said security would be heightened for Italian officials in Libya, and that the attempted bomb attack would be investigated.