Osama bin Laden Is Dead

Osama bin Laden is dead, the New York Times reports. Few details yet, but the newspaper (and just about every other media outlet now) quotes a US official saying the al-Qaeda leader has been killed in a "targeted assault" by US forces. CNN says that it happened in Pakistan, and that other members of his family were killed as well. President Obama is to inform the nation tonight. A source tells AP that it's no guessing game: The US has bin Laden's body. (Update: Obama confirms to the nation.)

The news of the 54-year-old bin Laden's death comes nearly 10 years after the 9/11 attacks. The development presumably leaves Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's No. 2, in charge—assuming he wasn't with bin Laden. (Click to read how the news set off spontaneous celebrations outside the White House.)