Serbia raises terror alert to red level after minor killed at Israeli embassy

A minor was shot dead by a police guard outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade overnight into Wednesday. The interior ministry stated the officer was slightly wounded during the knife attack, while the assailant was killed in self-defense. This is the second violent incident targeting the same diplomatic site in less than two years.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic identified the attacker as a resident of Sabac in western Serbia who had been monitored by security agencies as a supporter of the Islamic State. Dacic noted that the suspect displayed the group's black flag on his Instagram profile. During the confrontation, the assailant shouted the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar. The ministry is currently classifying the event as a terrorist attack.

In response, Serbian authorities elevated the national terrorism threat level to red alert, the highest tier. This status mandates stricter security screenings and a heavier police presence at critical infrastructure and high-traffic public areas. Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, stating that no embassy staff were injured and that investigations are underway.

The attack occurred one day after Israel held its parliamentary elections and shortly after Serbia's early parliamentary vote. In June 2024, a 25-year-old Islamic convert from a village near the capital attacked the same embassy with a crossbow. He seriously wounded a Serbian officer before police shot him dead.

Police are now conducting a full review of security protocols at the embassy. The red alert status remains in effect as officers increase patrols around sensitive sites.