when did benghazi happen

February 13, 2026

The Benghazi attack happened on September 11, 2012 , in Benghazi, Libya.

Quick date and context

Main attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound : around 9:40 p.m. local time on September 11, 2012.

Second attack on a nearby CIA annex : about 4:00 a.m. on September 12, 2012 , roughly an hour after the first assault ended.

What “Benghazi” refers to

When people ask “when did Benghazi happen,” they usually mean this two‑part assault on U.S. facilities in Benghazi , which killed four Americans , including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The events later became a major political controversy in the United States, especially around security decisions and how the government described the attack afterward.

Timeline snapshot

Event| Date / time (local)
---|---
Attack begins on U.S. diplomatic compound| September 11, 2012, ~9:40 p.m. 37
Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith killed| During the first attack on Sept. 11. 15
Mortar attack on CIA annex| September 12, 2012, ~4:00 a.m. 57
Two security contractors killed at annex| During the Sept. 12 mortar assault. 15

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.