Knife attacker killed outside Israeli Embassy in Belgrade

Police in Belgrade confirmed that an assailant carrying two knives was killed just after midnight on Wednesday while attacking a member of the elite Gendarmerie unit assigned to guard the Israeli Embassy.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that security services are treating the incident as a terrorist attack and have increased the police presence at major sites across the city. The officer sustained minor injuries to the face and shot the attacker in self-defense. Dacic identified the assailant as a minor from the town of Sabac in western Serbia. According to the minister, the suspect shouted Allahu Akbar during the confrontation. Police photos taken at the scene showed the guard booth and the area cordoned off with tape while officers in full gear maintained the perimeter.

Dacic noted that security agencies had been monitoring the individual, who was described as a supporter of the Islamic State group. The minister pointed to the suspect's social media activity, specifically an Instagram account that displayed the group's black flag. This event follows a similar incident in June 2024, when a man with a crossbow wounded a police officer at the same location before being shot and killed.

The attack occurred during a period of political transition in Serbia. The country held a key parliamentary election on Sunday, where former President Aleksandar Vucic lost to a youth-led movement after nearly two years of public protests. Although Vucic and his allies currently retain control over the police, a new government has not yet been formed. Additionally, Israel conducted its own parliamentary vote on Tuesday, with exit polls indicating that no single party emerged with a clear mandate to form a government.

The Israeli Embassy is situated in an upscale district of Belgrade, in close proximity to the U.S. Embassy. The site is protected by an elite police unit whose officers are equipped with automatic weapons. Serbia has historically maintained strong diplomatic and security ties with Israel, a relationship that has remained stable despite recent regional tensions.