A suspected terrorist attack was carried out in the night to Wednesday in front of the Israeli Embassy in the Serbian capital Belgrade. An attacker armed with two knives attacked a police officer guarding the embassy building. The officer sustained minor injuries but was able to shoot the attacker in self-defense. The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident and stated that the embassy was closed at the time of the attack. No embassy staff were harmed.
Attempted Terrorist Attack Near the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade
We confirm reports of an attempted terrorist attack near the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade.
The attacker was neutralized by local police. No embassy personnel were injured, and the mission was closed at the time of the incident, which occurred late at night.
The incident is currently under investigation by the relevant authorities.
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 28, 2026
According to Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, the incident occurred at approximately 00:15 local time. The attacker reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack. Based on current information, the perpetrator is a minor whose identity could not initially be determined with certainty. Authorities suspect he is from the western Serbian city of Šabac.
The police officer sustained a cut to his face during the attack. His condition is described as good. No further injuries were reported.
Islamic State connection
According to the Serbian Interior Minister, the attacker was already known to the security authorities. The teenager is said to have been under surveillance by the security services and was considered a supporter of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).
On his Instagram profile, he allegedly posted a black flag along with symbols of the terrorist organization. Whether he was actually acting on behalf of IS or planned the attack independently has not yet been established.
Serbian authorities have classified the incident as a terrorist attack. Immediately following the attack, Interior Minister Dačić ordered the nationwide terror alert level to be raised to its highest level, Red.
This comes with increased police checks and a heightened presence of security forces at particularly vulnerable facilities. These include diplomatic missions, critical infrastructure facilities, and public spaces with large gatherings of people.
Second attack on the embassy
This is not the first terrorist attack on security forces in front of the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. On June 29, 2024, a man armed with a crossbow had already attacked a Serbian police officer, injuring him in the neck with an arrow. On that occasion as well, the attacker was shot by the police officer.
Serbian police officers secure the crime scene in front of the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade on June 29, 2024. In the terrorist attack at the time, a police officer was injured by a crossbow bolt and the attacker was shot dead. Photo: EPA/Andrej Cukic.
The Serbian authorities had already classified that incident as a terrorist attack at the time.
As the Israeli news portal Ynet reports, investigations into the background of the attack are ongoing. According to media reports, Serbian authorities are examining in particular whether the perpetrator had connections to extremist networks. Following the incident, security measures in Serbia were significantly tightened.
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