Description: On the morning of **September 11, 2001**, two hijacked commercial airliners struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m. Both buildings caught fire and later collapsed—the South Tower at 9:59 a.m. and the North Tower at 10:28 a.m. The attacks were carried out by 19 members of the Islamist extremist group al-Qaeda. They were part of a coordinated series of hijackings that also included a plane that struck the Pentagon and another that crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back. **Casualties in New York:** About 2,753 people died at the World Trade Center site. That figure includes office workers, visitors, and first responders. Among them were 343 New York City firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, and 37 Port Authority officers. The overall death toll from all four attacks was 2,977 (not counting the 19 hijackers). The event remains the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil. It led to major changes in aviation security, U.S. foreign policy, and the skyline and daily life of New York City. The National September 11 Memorial & Museum now stands at the site. Today (September 11, 2026) marks the 25th anniversary.