Today in History: October 23, Beirut barracks bombings

Today is Thursday, Oct. 23, the 296th day of 2025. There are 69 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Oct. 23, 1983, 241 U.S. service members, most of them Marines, were killed in a suicide truck-bombing at the U.S. Marine Corps barracks at Beirut International Airport in Lebanon, while a near-simultaneous attack on French barracks in Beirut killed 58 paratroopers.

Also on this date:

In 1915, an estimated 25,000 women marched on Fifth Avenue in New York City in support of women's suffrage.

In 1942, during World War II, Britain launched a major offensive against Axis forces at El Alamein (el ah-lah-MAYN') in Egypt, resulting in an Allied forces victory.

In 1944, the Battle of Leyte (LAY'-tee) Gulf began; the largest naval battle of World War II resulted in a major Allied victory against Japanese forces, paving the way for the retaking of the Philippines.

In 1956, a student-sparked revolt against Hungary's Communist rule began; as the revolution spread, Soviet forces entered the country, ending the uprising on November 4.

In 1987, the U.S. Senate rejected the Supreme Court nomination of Robert H. Bork, 58-42.

In 1989, 23 people were killed in an explosion at a Phillips Petroleum chemical complex in Pasadena, Texas.

In 1995, a Houston jury convicted Yolanda Saldivar of murdering Tejano singing star Selena; Saldivar was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole and remains in prison.

In 2001, Apple released the iPod. An estimated 450 million iPod devices were sold before the line was discontinued in 2022.

In 2002, Chechen rebels stormed a Moscow theater and took about 800 hostages, demanding that Russian forces withdraw from Chechnya. Russian special forces raided the theater on Oct. 26; most of the rebels and 120 hostages were killed.

Today's Birthdays: Film director Philip Kaufman is 89. Advocate and humanitarian Graça Machel is 80. Film director Ang Lee is 71. Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is 69. Country singer Dwight Yoakam is 69. Activist and philanthropist Martin Luther King III is 68. Author and commentator Michael Eric Dyson is 67. Film director Sam Raimi is 66. Comedic musician "Weird Al" Yankovic is 66. Rock musician Robert Trujillo (Metallica) is 61. Racing driver and paracyclist Alex Zanardi is 59. CNN medical reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta is 56. TV personality Cat Deeley is 49. Actor Ryan Reynolds is 49. TV personality, author and political commentator Meghan McCain is 41. R&B singer Miguel is 40. Actor Emilia Clarke is 39. Actor Margaret Qualley is 31. Actor Amandla Stenberg is 27.