A time line of what happened on September 11th

On September 11, 2001, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks were carried out by the extremist group al-Qaeda on the United States. Here’s a brief rundown of the events:

1. American Airlines Flight 11: At 8:46 AM (Eastern Daylight Time), American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, was hijacked and crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
2. United Airlines Flight 175: At 9:03 AM, United Airlines Flight 175, another Boeing 767, was also hijacked and crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.
3. Pentagon Attack: At 9:37 AM, American Airlines Flight 77, a Boeing 757, was hijacked and crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington, Virginia.
4. United Airlines Flight 93: At 10:03 AM, United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757, was hijacked as well. Passengers on board fought the hijackers, leading to the plane crashing into a field in Pennsylvania, preventing another target from being hit.
5. Collapse of the Twin Towers: At 9:59 AM, the South Tower collapsed, followed by the North Tower at 10:28 AM. These collapses resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, including first responders.
6. Immediate Aftermath: The attacks led to widespread panic, evacuations, and the closure of U.S. airspace. A state of emergency was declared in various areas, and the U.S. government grounded all flights.
7. Casualties: Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attacks, making it one of the deadliest terrorist acts in world history.
8. Response: In the aftermath, the United States initiated the War on Terror, including the invasion of Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime. Security measures were significantly heightened in the U.S. and globally.

The September 11th attacks had profound and lasting impacts on U.S. foreign and domestic policies, as well as on global geopolitics.