Police officer fights off knife attacker at Israeli Embassy in Belgrade

A police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade fought off a knife-wielding attacker just after midnight on Wednesday. The guard was slightly wounded in the face, while the assailant was killed in the struggle.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic confirmed the officer survived the attack. He stated that the guard, a member of the elite Gendarmerie unit, shot the attacker in self-defense. Dacic identified the assailant as a minor from the western Serbian town of Sabac. The attacker carried two knives and was heard shouting Allahu Akbar during the assault.

Serbia has moved to the highest level of terror threat in response to the incident. Dacic announced that police presence has increased at key locations across the country. He described the event as a terrorist attack and noted that security agencies had been monitoring the young man prior to the strike.

Dacic provided details on the attacker's profile, noting he was a supporter of the Islamic State group. The minister pointed to the assailant's Instagram account, which displayed the group's black flag. Police photos from the scene showed the guard's booth sealed off with tape as officers in full gear secured the area.

The attack occurred days after a major political shift in Serbia. Former President Aleksandar Vucic lost a parliamentary election on Sunday to a youth-led movement. However, Vucic and his allies still control the police force because the new government has not yet been formed. Israel also held its own parliamentary vote on Tuesday, with exit polls indicating no clear winner.

This is the second time in less than two years that a guard at the embassy has been wounded by an attacker. In June 2024, a man with a crossbow injured an officer in a similar incident. That officer also shot and killed the assailant. The embassy sits in an upscale district near the U.S. Embassy and is protected by an armed elite unit.