Attacker killed outside Israeli Embassy in Serbia after stabbing officer

An assailant shouting "Allahu Akbar" attacked a police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade early Wednesday, stabbing the officer before being fatally shot, Serbian authorities said. The incident is being treated as a terrorist attack.

The attacker, identified as a minor, slashed the officer in the face with two knives shortly after midnight. The officer, who sustained minor injuries, retrieved his service weapon and fired multiple rounds, killing the assailant at the scene, according to the office of the Higher Public Prosecutor in Belgrade.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that security forces had been monitoring the assailant, who he said supported ISIS and had displayed a black flag bearing the group's symbol on his Instagram account. Dacic indicated the attacker was believed to be Serbian, from the town of Sabac.

Serbia has raised its terrorism threat level to the highest level, increasing police presence at sensitive sites and crowded public spaces. The Israeli foreign ministry confirmed the "attempted terrorist attack" and stated that no embassy personnel were injured. The mission was closed at the time of the incident.

This is not the first security incident at the embassy. In June 2024, a man armed with a crossbow wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy before being killed by the officer's return fire.