September 11 attacks (2001)
On September 11, 2001, the United States was the target of one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in history. Four commercial airliners were hijacked by the extremist group Al-Qaeda. Two of the planes were flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, causing the buildings to collapse. A third plane hit the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, in Washington, while the fourth plane, United Flight 93, crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to regain control of the aircraft.
The attacks resulted in the deaths of around 3,000 people and caused profound economic and symbolic damage. President George W. Bush declared in response a "war on terror" aimed at combating extremist organizations like Al-Qaeda and preventing future attacks.
As part of this strategy, the United States invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to overthrow the Taliban regime, which harbored Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The “war on terror” also led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, triggering a protracted conflict. The September 11 attacks changed American foreign policy, resulting in a tightening of security measures and a reconfiguration of international relations.
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