Attacker shot dead after stabbing officer guarding Israeli Embassy in Serbia

A Serbian police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade was wounded in a knife attack early Wednesday and shot dead the assailant in self-defense, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said.

The attack occurred shortly after midnight when a suspect believed to be a minor approached the Gendarmerie officer guarding the embassy and attacked him with two knives, Dacic said in a statement.

Dacic said the officer, who sustained a minor facial injury, was in good condition and expected to be discharged from hospital later Wednesday.

Following the incident, Serbian authorities raised the country's terrorist threat alert to its highest level and ordered increased police presence and security checks at key locations, including critical infrastructure and crowded public areas.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the attack and working to identify the assailant, who is believed to be from the western Serbian city of Sabac.

According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, the incident was the second attack targeting security personnel guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade, following a June 2024 crossbow attack that left a police officer wounded in the neck.