Knife attack targets Israeli embassy guard

Serbian authorities classified the incident as a terrorist act following a knife attack near the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade on Wednesday. Police confirmed the assailant was killed shortly after midnight.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that a minor wielding two knives attacked a member of the Gendarmerie. The officer, who suffered slight facial wounds, shot the attacker in self-defense. Dacic noted that the assailant shouted Allahu Akbar during the assault.

The attacker was identified as a resident of the western Serbian town of Sabac. Security agencies had been monitoring the individual, who was described as a supporter of the Islamic State group. Dacic pointed out that the young man displayed the group's black flag on his Instagram account.

In response to the attack, Serbian police raised the terror threat level to the highest category. They increased their presence at key locations across the country. Photos from the scene showed officers in full gear securing the area with police tape around the guard's booth.

The violence occurred days after Serbia held an early parliamentary election on Sunday. In that vote, a youth-led movement defeated long-ruling former President Aleksandar Vucic. Vucic and his allies still control the police force while the new government remains unformed.

Israel also conducted its parliamentary vote on Tuesday, with exit polls indicating no clear winner. The Israeli Embassy sits in an upscale Belgrade district near the U.S. Embassy. It is protected by an elite police unit equipped with automatic weapons.

A similar incident took place in June 2024 when a crossbow-wielding attacker wounded a Serbian police officer at the same location. The officer shot and killed that assailant as well. Serbia has maintained close diplomatic relations with Israel.