On March 22, 2026, Belgium observes the tenth anniversary of the 2016 terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport in Zaventem and Maalbeek metro station, which killed 32 people and injured over 300. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the coordinated suicide bombings.
At 7:58 a.m., two explosions ripped through the departure hall’s check-in area, nine seconds apart. Brothers Khalid and Brahim El Bakraoui detonated suitcase bombs packed with screws in rows 11 and 2 of Terminal 3. Witnesses reported Arabic shouts beforehand; the bombers carried undetonated handguns. A third attacker, later identified as Mohamed Abrini—the “man in the hat” on CCTV—fled without exploding his device. Police found his unexploded suitcase bomb, bomb-making materials, and an IS flag at a nearby apartment the same day.
Ninety minutes later, at 9:11 a.m., a blast at Maalbeek station killed 20 and injured 130. Belgium immediately raised its terror threat to the maximum level. Abrini and Osama Krayem admitted intending to detonate but backing out. In 2023, a Belgian court sentenced eight men, including Abrini, with terms up to life for their roles.
The attacks reshaped Brussels Airport security. Today, the hub enforces the 100 ml liquids rule pending CT scanner upgrades in late 2026. The Entry/Exit System rolls out fully by April 2026, adding biometric checks for non-EU travelers. A March 12, 2026, security staff strike halted all departures, exposing ongoing operational vulnerabilities.
Authorities recovered an AK-47 and unexploded belts near the airport site. The bombings, Europe’s deadliest peacetime attack near NATO and EU hubs, left lasting trauma, with the toll later revised to 35 including trauma-related deaths.