US Embassy Bombings

Setting the scene

The U.S. embassy bombings occurred on August 7, 1998, when al-Qaeda simultaneously detonated truck bombs at U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The attacks killed 224 people—213 in Nairobi, 11 in Dar es Salaam—and wounded over 4,000. Only 12 Americans died; most victims were African civilians. The bombs exploded at 10:30-10:40 a.m. local time.

What happened

The bombings were orchestrated by Osama bin Laden in retaliation for U.S. extradition of Egyptian militants and presence in Saudi Arabia. The operation was planned by al-Qaeda operatives including Fazul Abdullah Mohammed. The Nairobi bomb destroyed the embassy and collapsed a nearby building. The attacks demonstrated al-Qaeda's ability to strike multiple targets simultaneously.

Why it still matters

President Clinton responded with Operation Infinite Reach on August 20, launching cruise missiles at al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and a pharmaceutical factory in Sudan mistakenly believed to make chemical weapons. The bombings led to indictments of bin Laden and increased CIA focus on al-Qaeda, though not enough to prevent 9/11. August 7, 1998, marked al-Qaeda's emergence as a global terrorist threat.

Background

Al-Qaeda became a household name.