Knifeman shot dead outside Israeli embassy in Serbia after attacking guard

A minor armed with two knives attacked an elite police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, shortly after midnight on Wednesday. The officer fatally shot the assailant during the incident. UPI, the South China Morning Post, and Fox News reported the shooting. [1][2][4]

The officer, identified as a member of Serbia's Gendarmerie elite unit, suffered minor injuries to the face, according to UPI and Fox News. Fox News reported that the assailant shouted Allahu Akbar during the attack. The New York Times reported that the attacker appeared to be a supporter of the Islamic State. [1][2][4][5]

The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed that no embassy personnel were injured and stated that the mission was closed when the incident occurred, UPI reported. Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic announced that authorities are treating the event as a terrorist attack, raised the national terror threat to its highest level, and increased the police presence at key locations, according to the South China Morning Post and Fox News. [1][2][4]

The event follows a previous attack on the Israeli embassy in Belgrade on June 29, 2024, when an Islamic State supporter wounded a Serbian gendarme with a crossbow before being killed by return fire. [12]