On this day in 1983, a suicide bomber drove a van packed with explosives into the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans. This tragic event marked the first major attack against a U.S. target by Islamic extremists, heralding a new form of terrorism that would shape international relations and U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East for decades to come. The bombing underscored the volatility of the region and the complexities of diplomatic engagement in areas riven by conflict.
