On October 23, a powerful truck bomb destroys the U.S. Marine compound at the Beirut airport in Lebanon, killing 241. Almost simlutaneously, a second truck bomb explodes at a French paratroop barracks 2 miles away, killing 58. Both buildings are reduced to rubble, and survivors quickly organize into teams in a desperate struggle to pry their comrades from the tangled wreckage. The bombers are killed in the explosion and U.S. officials blame groups allied with Iran or Syria.
