Looking at history chronologically, one detail immediately becomes apparent: the US's “targeted strike” strategy has evolved technologically over time – from invasion operations to unmanned drone strikes.
Modern.az presents, in chronological order, leaders killed as a result of US operations or whose overthrow occurred with US intervention.
1989 – Manuel Noriega
In 1989, the US intervened in Panama with Operation “Just Cause”. As a result, President Manuel Noriega was apprehended and taken to the US.
He was tried and imprisoned in a US court on charges of drug trafficking and other offenses.
2003 - Saddam Hussein
Coalition forces, led by the US, intervened in Iraq in 2003. Saddam Hussein was overthrown, apprehended in December of that year, and executed in 2006 by order of an Iraqi court.
Although his death was not directly carried out by the US, his removal from power was a consequence of Washington's military intervention.
2011 (May) – Osama bin Laden
On May 2, 2011, the leader of “Al-Qaeda” was killed in an operation carried out by US special forces in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The operation was carried out during President Barack Obama's administration and was presented as a response to the September 11 attacks.
2011 (September) – Anwar Al-Awlaki
He was killed in Yemen as a result of a strike carried out by a US unmanned aerial vehicle.
This incident was particularly controversial because Al-Awlaki was a US citizen and had been targeted without trial.
2011 (October) – Muammar Gaddafi
During the Libyan crisis, the regime was weakened as a result of air operations by NATO forces (including the US).
Gaddafi was captured and killed by opposition forces. Although the US did not directly commit the killing, military intervention played a decisive role in the regime's collapse.
2026 (January) - Nicolás Maduro
The former president of Venezuela was “captured” from the country by US special operations forces on January 3, 2026, and arrested in the US.
2026 (February) - Iran's Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei
On February 28, the sudden military intervention of Israel and the US in Iran became the world's main agenda. As a result of the military intervention by the US and Israel in Iran, the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed. This information was also confirmed by Iranian State Television.
