When was Article 5 invoked for the first time?

The first invocation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty occurred following the attacks on September 11, 2001. Article 5 establishes that an armed attack against one or more NATO members is considered an attack against all members, thereby committing all members to collective defense. The 9/11 attacks on the United States were unprecedented in nature, leading NATO to declare that the scope of the attacks warranted invoking Article 5. This marked a significant moment in NATO's history as it was the first time the policy of collective defense had been enacted in response to a terrorist attack, highlighting the alliance's commitment to mutual support in the face of new global threats.

Other events mentioned, such as the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, NATO's formation in 1949, and the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, did not meet the criteria or context for invoking Article 5, which is specifically focused on collective defense against armed attacks on NATO members. The invocation of Article 5 after 9/11 reshaped international security responses and demonstrated solidarity among NATO allies in combating terrorism.