A teenage attacker armed with two knives wounded a police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy before being shot dead. Serbian authorities have declared the highest terror alert and increased security at sensitive locations nationwide.
Serbian authorities have raised the country’s terrorism threat level to its highest setting following an attack on a police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
Caretaker Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said the attacker, described as a minor whose identity had not yet been officially established, charged at a member of Serbia’s Gendarmerie with two knives while shouting “Allahu Akbar.”
The officer was slightly wounded in the face but managed to shoot and kill the attacker in what authorities described as an act of self-defense.
Security Alert Raised to Red
Dačić announced that Serbia had raised its terrorism threat level to red, the highest possible level under the country’s system.
The decision means increased security checks and a stronger police presence at locations considered particularly sensitive, including critical infrastructure and places where large numbers of people gather.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the attack and establish the circumstances surrounding the assailant’s actions.
Authorities Cite Suspected Islamic State Links
According to Dačić, Serbian security services had previously monitored the attacker, who was described by the minister as a supporter of the Islamic State militant group.
The minister said the individual had displayed a black flag and the group’s emblem on an Instagram profile.
Authorities believe the attacker may have come from Šabac, a city in western Serbia, although his identity had not yet been officially confirmed in the initial announcement.
Israeli Embassy Confirms No Staff Were Injured
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that an attempted terrorist attack had occurred near its embassy in Belgrade.
No embassy personnel were injured, and the diplomatic mission was closed at the time of the incident, according to the ministry’s statement reported by The Associated Press. Serbian authorities are leading the investigation.
The attack recalls a similar incident in June 2024, when a man armed with a crossbow wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the same embassy before being shot and killed.
Investigation Continues
Serbian authorities have said the investigation remains ongoing as security is tightened around key sites.
The incident has renewed attention to the protection of diplomatic missions and the threat posed by individuals suspected of extremist sympathies.
Officials have not indicated how long the heightened security measures will remain in effect
