The United States has been attacked numerous times throughout its history, including attacks on its states and territories, embassies and consulates, and its military. Attacks against the United States include invasions, military offensives, raids, bombardment and airstrikes on its military, terrorist bombings and shootings, and any other deliberate act of violence against the United States government or military.

Territory controlled by the United States was invaded by British forces during the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812 and by Mexican forces during the Mexican–American War. During the American Civil War, the Confederate States of America, an unrecognized de facto breakaway country from the United States, launched numerous attacks and invasions of the United States, commonly referred to for the war as the "Union". Between 1900 and 1945 the United States was attacked numerous times during World War I and World War II, six times along the Mexico–United States border from various conflicts in Mexico, and once each in Nicaragua and in Iran.

Following the conclusion of World War II, the United States engaged in a rivalry with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, between 1947 and 1991. During this time, several proxy wars occurred, with the United States and Soviet Union sponsoring wars against each other. These proxy wars, such as the Vietnam War and the Lebanese Civil War, often led to attacks against American embassies and consulates as well as American troops in the proxy war regions. In the 21st century, al-Qaeda conducted the September 11 attacks, which began the US-led Global War on Terror, particularly in the Middle East. During the war on terror, numerous attacks occurred against American embassies and consulates as well as American troops. During the Middle Eastern Crisis, which began in October 2023, over 170 attacks occurred against the United States across the entire Middle East.

The most recent attack against the United States was by Iran on July 17, 2026, amid the 2026 Iran war’s Iranian strikes on Jordan. Two Iranian ballistic missiles struck the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, killing two American service members, injuring more than four others, and left one missing. The missiles targeted troop housing on the base, and caused a fire large enough to be detected by NASA’s FIRMS fire detection satellites. On July 18, an American service member was killed during a "controlled detonation" of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian drone after being struck by shrapnel.

1776–1899 American Revolutionary War (July 1776 – September 1783)

Following the ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which formally formed the United States, Patriot forces organized as the Continental Army and, commanded by George Washington, fought against British forces and secured American independence from Britain. Following the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which formally ended the war, Great Britain ceded all mainland territories east of the Mississippi River, south of the Great Lakes, and north of the Floridas to the United States and recognized the independence of the United States. Until the end of the war, the United States had no internationally recognized territory (besides France after the 1777 Battle of Saratoga), and was considered part of the First British Empire.

Northwest Indian War

Siege of Dunlap's Station

Battle of the Wabash

Little Turtles' attack on Fort St. Clair In November 1792, following the decision of a Native American Grand Council at the mouth of the Auglaize River, Little Turtle led a force of 200 Miami and Shawnee past United States outposts of Fort Jefferson and Fort St. Clair, and reached Fort Hamilton on 3 November with the intention of an attack near the United States settlements on the anniversary of St. Clair's Defeat. They captured two prisoners and learned that a large convoy of packhorses had left for Fort Jefferson and was due back in a matter of days. Little Turtle moved North and found the convoy, nearly 100 horses and 100 members of the Kentucky Militia (the predecessor to the Kentucky National Guard), led by Major John Adair, camped just outside Fort St. Clair. On November 6, Little Turtle attacked at dawn, just as Major Adair recalled his sentries. The Militia conducted an organized retreat to the fort, with six killed (considered the first Kentucky Guardsman killed in action), four missing, and five wounded.Adair’s defeat, Kentucky National Guard’s first battle casualties Major Adair later criticized Fort St. Clair's commandant, Captain Bradley, for his failure to come to their aid. Little Turtle's force lost two warriors, but captured the camp and all provisions. All horses were killed, wounded, or driven off; only 23 were later recovered. Wilkinson considered the horses to be a loss that would make the advanced forts un-defendable.

Battle of Fort Recovery

Quasi-War (July 1798 – September 1800)

The Quasi-War was an undeclared naval conflict between the United States and France, arising from French resentment of the Jay Treaty between Great Britain and the United States, during the French Revolutionary Wars. French privateers and naval vessels targeted American shipping in the Caribbean and Atlantic, capturing hundreds of merchant vessels and disrupting trade. On February 9, 1799, the French frigate L'Insurgente fought against the American frigate . The Convention of 1800 ended the undeclared war between France and the United States.

HMS Leopard attack on the USS Chesapeake

War of 1812 (June 1812–1815)

The Chesapeake campaign during the War of 1812 was a military naval and land invasion by British forces along the East Coast of the United States. In April 1813, British forces launched raids on the Rappahannock River, capturing four American privateer schooners. A month later, in May, they attacked Havre de Grace, burning much of the town after routing its defenders. The campaign saw a key defensive victory for the Americans at the battle of Craney Island in June 1813, where American forces repelled a British assault aimed at capturing Norfolk, Virginia and its naval yard. Two days later, the British captured and briefly occupied Hampton, Virginia after routing 400 defending Virginia militia. In July 1813, British forces disrupted American shipping off the coast of North Carolina by capturing the town of Ocracoke and nearby Portsmouth.

In August 1814, the British launched a fresh campaign aimed at capturing Washington. After routing American forces at the Battle of Bladensburg, where unprepared militia scattered under fire, the British marched into Washington and carried out the burning of Washington, torching the Capitol, White House, and other federal buildings in retaliation for American atrocities during their invasions of Canada. They then turned their attention to Baltimore, but were checked at the Battle of Baltimore, particularly at Fort McHenry, where American defenders withstood a hours-long bombardment and where Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner". The campaign culminated in the raid of Alexandria, which was occupied by the British for three days.

Creek War

Mexican–American War (April 1846 – June 1848)

Texas Campaign

Following the United States' annexation of Texas in 1845, the Mexican government claimed they still owned the portion of Texas between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande.Bauer, K.J., 1974, The Mexican War, 1846–1848, New York: Macmillan, On April 25, 1846, approximately 1,600 Mexican soldiers, under the command of General Mariano Arista, crossed the border into the United States and began an invasion, with the goal to hold and occupy the territory claimed by Mexico. American Captain Seth B. Thornton was sent to investigate a report of Mexican soldiers crossing the border, which led him and his 80 men into an ambush. With the Mexican forces still occupying part of Texas, American General Zachary Taylor took the Army of Occupation to fight the now reinforced Mexican Army of The North. Between May 3–9, the Mexican forces attempted to siege to the American "Fort Texas". Following the Mexican defeats during the Battle of Palo Alto on May 8 and the battle of Resaca de la Palma on May 9, the Mexican forces withdrew from American territory, ending the brief invasion. In total, 60 Americans died during the Texas Campaign.

United States occupation of Mexico City

Following the fall of Mexico City in September 1847, the United States began a military occupation of the city and surrounding area. During the eight-month occupation under John A. Quitman, the named Military Governor of Mexico City, several attacks by Mexican resistance took place against the occupation forces, especially in the first three days which involved "intense and bloody street fighting". In total, 4,356 Americans died as a result of the occupation of Mexico City.

American Civil War (October 1859 – May 1865)

Following the secession of South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, the Confederate States of America was formed on February 8, 1861. The Confederate States of America was an unrecognized de facto breakaway country from the United States, primarily due to no European power desiring to get involved in the conflict.

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry

John Brown, a radical abolitionist, sought to ignite a slave uprising by seizing the federal armory and arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia). With a small force of 21 men, including five African Americans, Brown aimed to distribute the captured weapons to enslaved people in the region, sparking a broader rebellion against slavery. On the night of October 16, 1859, Brown and his men easily captured the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry and briefly held hostages, including prominent local citizens. However, the town's residents and local militia quickly mobilized, surrounding the raiders and cutting off their escape. The situation escalated when a company of U.S. Marines, under the command of then-Colonel Robert E. Lee, stormed the armory on October 18, killing most of Brown's men and capturing him alive. The raid failed to achieve its immediate objectives, as no large-scale slave rebellion materialized and Brown was later executed for treason.

Battle of Fort Sumter

On the morning of April 12, Confederate forces under General P. G. T. Beauregard opened fire on the United States' Fort Sumter, South Carolina, after the Union commanding officer Major Robert Anderson refused to surrender. For 34 hours, Confederate artillery bombarded the fort, while Union forces, outgunned and outmatched, offered only limited resistance. On April 13, with supplies dwindling and the fort heavily damaged, Anderson agreed to surrender. Remarkably, there were no fatalities during the bombardment, though one Union soldier was killed during a ceremonial cannon salute after the surrender. The Battle of Fort Sumter is regarding as the formal start of the American Civil War.

New Mexico campaign