New York: Today marks the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a day that reshaped global history and exposed the vulnerabilities of the world’s most powerful nation.

Nearly 3,000 lives were lost when hijacked planes struck the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and a Pennsylvania field, leaving scars that still run deep in American society.

On that morning in 2001, the United States witnessed the unthinkable: its air defense and intelligence systems failed to prevent one of the most devastating terrorist attacks in history.

Despite billions of dollars spent on military and security infrastructure, the hijackers armed only with box cutters exploited loopholes in airport security and navigated the skies for nearly two hours before striking their targets. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, designed to defend against external threats, was unprepared for an attack originating from inside U.S. borders.

Investigations that followed, including the 9/11 Commission Report, revealed systemic failures—missed intelligence warnings, poor inter-agency communication, and inadequate emergency response coordination. The report noted that agencies had pieces of information about al-Qaeda’s plans but failed to connect them. On the day itself, delays in communication and confusion over the hijackings left fighter jets scrambling too late to intercept the planes.

The tragedy not only marked a failure of defense but also triggered sweeping changes in U.S. national security. The Department of Homeland Security was created, intelligence sharing was restructured, and airport security became far stricter worldwide. The U.S. also launched the War on Terror, leading to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq that reshaped geopolitics for decades.

Yet, for many, the memory of that morning remains personal and painful.Families of victims gathered at Ground Zero today to read out names, light candles, and observe moments of silence at the exact times the towers were struck and collapsed. Bells tolled across New York City, echoing the loss and resilience of a nation forever changed.

As America remembers the lives lost, the anniversary also serves as a reminder of the vulnerability that even the strongest nations can face when complacency and intelligence gaps collide. The attacks of September 11 remain a stark lesson in the price of unpreparedness and a call to vigilance in a world still threatened by terrorism.