13. Battle of Tora Bora (2001)
The Battle of Tora Bora unfolded in the rugged mountains of eastern Afghanistan as U.S. and allied Afghan forces targeted Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda’s top leadership. Despite intense aerial bombardment and a determined ground assault, bin Laden managed to evade capture, slipping through the mountainous border. The campaign highlighted the challenges of fighting in such forbidding terrain.
