U.S. government officials during the Osama bin Laden mission U.S. Pres. Barack Obama (seated second from left) and various other government officials—including Vice Pres. Joe Biden (seated left), Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (seated right), and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (seated second from right)—receiving updates in the Situation Room of the White House during the Osama bin Laden mission, May 2011. (more) Killing of Osama bin Laden Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Killing-of-Osama-bin-Laden Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Operation Neptune Spear Written by Nick Tabor Nick Tabor is a freelance journalist and the author of Africatown: America's Last Slave Ship and the Community It Created. Nick Tabor , Michael Ray Michael Ray is an assistant managing editor who has worked at Britannica since 2003. In addition to leading the Geography and History team, he oversees coverage of European history and military affairs.... Michael Ray •All Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 10, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Also called: Operation Neptune Spear (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Who killed Osama bin Laden? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Osama bin Laden was killed by members of the U.S. Navyu2019s SEAL Team 6 on May 2, 2011, in Pakistan." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Where was Osama bin Laden hiding before his death? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Osama bin Laden was hiding in a walled compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What was the operation to kill Osama bin Laden called? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The operation to kill Osama bin Laden was called Operation Neptune Spear." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did the U.S. confirm Osama bin Ladenu2019s identity after the raid? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Initial identification was made by comparing photographs of the man killed in the raid with verified images of Osama bin Laden. The SEALs also collected samples of blood and bone marrow to conduct DNA testing against samples obtained from other members of bin Ladenu2019s family." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How was Osama bin Ladenu2019s body disposed of? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Osama bin Ladenu2019s body was buried at sea from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea." } } ] } Top Questions Who killed Osama bin Laden? Osama bin Laden was killed by members of the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team 6 on May 2, 2011, in Pakistan.

　　Where was Osama bin Laden hiding before his death? Osama bin Laden was hiding in a walled compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

　　What was the operation to kill Osama bin Laden called? The operation to kill Osama bin Laden was called Operation Neptune Spear.

　　How did the U.S. confirm Osama bin Laden’s identity after the raid? Initial identification was made by comparing photographs of the man killed in the raid with verified images of Osama bin Laden. The SEALs also collected samples of blood and bone marrow to conduct DNA testing against samples obtained from other members of bin Laden’s family.

　　How was Osama bin Laden’s body disposed of? Osama bin Laden’s body was buried at sea from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea.

　　Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden was killed by members of the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team 6 on May 2, 2011, in Pakistan. At the time, bin Laden had been hiding for six years in a walled compound in Abbottabad, a city of some 230,000 people, roughly 30 miles (48 km) northeast of Islamabad. The SEALs raided his home after midnight and shot him several times. Four other people, including one of bin Laden’s sons, also died in the raid. The killing was widely regarded as one of the greatest successes in the U.S. “war on terrorism,” though critics have argued ...(100 of 1887 words)

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