13. U.S. Invasion of Panama (1989)
In December 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause to depose Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, who faced U.S. drug trafficking charges. The operation, initiated without a formal declaration of war, resulted in the deaths of 23 U.S. soldiers and an estimated 314 Panamanian soldiers, with civilian casualties varying between 200 and 500. The invasion sparked debates over American interventionism and executive authority (army.mil).
