A guard at the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade was attacked by an unidentified assailant wielding two knives shortly after midnight on Wednesday. Serbian authorities confirmed that the attacker was killed by the officer, who acted in self-defense during the incident.
Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that the police are investigating the event as a “terrorist attack.” Following the violence, the government raised the national terror threat to its highest level and bolstered police presence at critical infrastructure and key locations throughout the city. The officer, a member of the Gendarmerie, sustained light wounds during the confrontation.
According to Dacic, security agencies had previously been monitoring the attacker, who was identified as a supporter of the Islamic State group. The minister noted that the individual had displayed a black flag associated with the group on his Instagram account and reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the assault. The attacker was described as a minor.
This incident follows a similar security breach in June 2024, when an attacker with a crossbow wounded a Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. That assailant was also shot and killed by a guard. The latest attack occurs during a period of political transition in Serbia, following a parliamentary election held on Sunday where the long-ruling former President Aleksandar Vucic faced defeat by a youth-led movement. While a new government has not yet been formed, Vucic and his allies currently maintain control over the police. Israel is also navigating its own political developments after a parliamentary vote held on Tuesday yielded no clear winner according to exit polls.
