What major event did the U.S. military respond to in 2001?

The United States military responded to the September 11 attacks in 2001, which marked a significant turning point in U.S. military and foreign policy. On September 11, terrorists affiliated with al-Qaeda hijacked commercial airplanes and carried out coordinated attacks on American soil, targeting the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. This event resulted in widespread devastation and loss of life, leading the U.S. government to initiate a global "War on Terror."

The immediate military response included the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2001, aimed at dismantling al-Qaeda and removing the Taliban from power in Afghanistan, where they were harboring the terrorist organization. This operation set the stage for a prolonged military presence in Afghanistan and marked the beginning of a new era in U.S. military engagements.

In contrast, the other events listed occurred either before 2001, such as the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, or were part of different contexts, such as the Gulf War II, which refers to operations beginning in 2003. The Invasion of Iraq followed later and was a result of decisions made in the wake of 9/11 but was not a direct response to the September