The September 11 attacks, often referred to as 9/11, were a series of coordinated

terrorist attacks carried out by the Islamist extremist group al-Qaeda against the
United States on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Here's a detailed breakdown of the events:

1. **Timeline of Events:**

- **8:46 AM**: American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 carrying 92 people, was
hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists. It crashed into the North Tower of the World
Trade Center (WTC) in New York City.

- **9:03 AM**: United Airlines Flight 175, another Boeing 767 with 65 people on
board, was also hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. It crashed into the South Tower of
the WTC.

- **9:37 AM**: American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757 with 64 people on
board, was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United
States Department of Defense, located in Arlington, Virginia.

- **9:59 AM**: The South Tower of the WTC collapsed approximately 56 minutes
after being hit by Flight 175.

- **10:03 AM**: United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 with 44 people on board,
was hijacked by four terrorists. Passengers attempted to regain control of the
plane, resulting in it crashing into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, rather
than its intended target, believed to be either the White House or the U.S.
Capitol.

- **10:28 AM**: The North Tower of the WTC collapsed, about 102 minutes after
being hit by Flight 11.

2. **Casualties:**

- The attacks resulted in the deaths of 2,977 victims and the injury of over
6,000 others. Among the casualties were civilians, firefighters, law enforcement
officers, and military personnel.

- The victims included individuals from more than 90 countries, making it an

international tragedy.

3. **Aftermath:**

- The attacks prompted an immediate response from the United States government,
including the implementation of heightened security measures and the declaration of
a national emergency.

- The day after the attacks, September 12, 2001, was declared a national day of
mourning, and numerous countries around the world expressed their condolences and
solidarity with the United States.

- The United States launched the War on Terror, which included military
operations in Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime, which had harbored al-Qaeda,
and in Iraq, based on the belief that Saddam Hussein's regime possessed weapons of
mass destruction.

- The attacks also led to significant changes in U.S. domestic and foreign
policies, including the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security and
the enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act, which expanded the government's surveillance
and law enforcement powers.

Overall, the September 11 attacks had a profound and lasting impact on the United
States and the world, shaping global geopolitics, security policies, and public
perceptions of terrorism and extremism.