How the World Realized 9/11 Was an Attack On the morning of September 11, 2001, New York City awoke to one of its most beautiful late-summer days. The skies were clear, the air crisp, and commuters poured into offices, schools, and subway cars. Life felt routine, ordinary — until a few minutes after 8:45 a.m., when a low-flying aircraft struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.At first, confusion reigned. Passersby looked up at the smoke billowing from the tower, many wondering if a small commuter plane had gone off course. Street-level cameras began recording what seemed like an isolated accident. The crowd’s questions echoed the uncertainty: Was it mechanical failure? A tragic mistake?
At 9:03 a.m., reality shifted forever. As television networks cut to live coverage, a second jetliner appeared on the horizon. In one continuous shot, a CNN street-level camera caught the aircraft descending rapidly and colliding with the South Tower.Gasps filled the streets. Some cried out, others fell silent in disbelief. In that moment, the idea of “accident” disappeared. The footage captured not just an explosion but the collective realization that America was under attack.
