Serbian Police Kill Knife Attacker at Israeli Embassy in Belgrade

A standoff outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade ended with the death of a young attacker who lunged at a security officer with two knives. The incident occurred just after midnight on Wednesday, October 28. Interior Minister Ivica Dacic confirmed that police classified the event as a terrorist attack. The national threat level was immediately raised to its maximum setting.

Dacic stated that the assailant was a minor from the western Serbian town of Sabac. He was identified as a supporter of the Islamic State group. Dacic noted that the attacker displayed the black flag of the Islamic State on his Instagram account. Security agencies in Serbia had been monitoring the individual prior to the incident.

The victim of the attack was a member of the Gendarmerie, an elite police unit assigned to guard the embassy. Dacic said the officer sustained a slight wound to the face during the struggle. The gendarme fired his weapon in self-defense, killing the attacker. Police footage from the scene showed the guard's booth sealed off by tape while officers in full gear secured the perimeter.

The assault happened shortly after Serbia held a parliamentary election on Sunday. In that vote, former President Aleksandar Vucic was defeated by a youth-led movement. However, Vucic’s allies retain control of the police force because a new government has not yet been formed. This timing adds political weight to the security response.

The attack also coincided with Israel’s own parliamentary vote on Tuesday. Exit polls indicated that the election produced no clear winner. The diplomatic relationship between the two nations remains close. The Israeli embassy is situated in an upscale district of Belgrade, near the U.S. Embassy.

Serbian authorities stepped up their police presence at key locations across the country following the shooting. The embassy is guarded by officers armed with automatic weapons. A similar incident occurred in June 2024, when a crossbow-wielding attacker wounded a police officer at the same location. That assailant was also shot and killed by the guard.