Serbian Police Kill Knife Attacker Outside Israeli Embassy in Belgrade

Serbian police shot dead a young man outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade in the early hours of Wednesday, in an incident that authorities have described as a "terrorist attack".

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said the attacker ran at a police officer carrying two knives while shouting "Allahu Akbar". The officer suffered a minor knife wound to the face and fired back, killing the assailant.

Dacic said the suspect has not yet been formally identified, but was a Serbian citizen and a minor. According to the minister, security services had already been keeping watch on the individual, who was "known to be a supporter of the Islamic State".

Speaking to reporters outside the embassy, Dacic said the investigation is continuing. Security services said the suspect had posted a picture of the Islamic State flag on Instagram.

In response, Dacic raised the country's terrorism threat level to "red alert", the highest on the scale. The step brings stricter security checks and a larger police presence at locations such as infrastructure facilities and areas where large crowds gather.

The minister said he had visited the wounded officer, who was reportedly doing well and did not need hospital care. Armed security personnel were seen standing guard outside the embassy on Wednesday morning.

Israel's foreign ministry confirmed in a social media post that no embassy staff were injured. It added that the mission was closed at the time of the incident.

This is the second attack of its kind on the Israeli embassy in Belgrade in less than three years. In June 2024, a man shot a police officer in the neck with a crossbow. That officer survived and shot dead the assailant, who was identified as a Serbian man who had converted to Islam.

Wednesday's attack came just one day after elections in Israel.