As the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks approaches, news reports revisit the tragic events that reshaped the United States and the world. On that day, four commercial airplanes were hijacked by terrorists and deliberately crashed into key targets in the U.S. American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, while Flight 175 hit the South Tower. Both towers collapsed, leading to the deaths of thousands. American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., killing all 59 passengers on board and 125 people on the ground. United Airlines Flight 93, which was also being flown toward a target in Washington, was brought down in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew fought to regain control of the plane. The attacks resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths, including many children, with more victims being identified over time thanks to advances in DNA technology. In the years following the attacks, the U.S. and its allies declared a "war on terror," leading to military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. These actions were aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and preventing future attacks. The events of September 11 were preceded by a series of earlier terrorist incidents, including the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center and the 1994 bombing of a Philippine Airlines flight. The hijackers, including Mohamed Atta, the ringleader, had trained as pilots and planned the attacks using coded messages. The first hijackers boarded a flight in Portland, Maine, before heading to Boston. The first fatality occurred when a passenger was stabbed by a hijacker on Flight 11. The North Tower was hit at 8:46 am, followed by the South Tower at 9:03 am. The Pentagon was struck at 9:37 am, and the South Tower collapsed at 9:59 am. United Flight 93 crashed at 10:03 am, and the North Tower collapsed at 10:28 am. In the aftermath, President George W. Bush addressed the nation, vowing to find those responsible for the attacks. The last survivor from the World Trade Center was found 27 hours after the North Tower fell. The 25th anniversary of the attacks saw the identification of additional victims using genetic genealogy techniques, with more names being added to the list of those who lost their lives in the attacks over the years since.