Serbian Police Officer Kills Knife Attacker Outside Israeli Embassy in Belgrade
Serbia raised its national terror alert to the highest level after authorities classified the knife attack against an embassy guard as an act of terrorism.
A Serbian Gendarmerie officer fatally shot an armed minor outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. The assailant had attacked the officer inside a security guard booth outside the diplomatic compound.
The attacker was dressed in black clothing and carried two knives. He opened the booth door, charged at the officer, and threw one knife. The blade struck the officer in the left cheek, causing minor facial wounds.
The officer, identified publicly only by the initials D.S., drew his service weapon and fired several rounds. The gunfire killed the assailant on the spot. The officer was taken to a hospital in good condition and was scheduled for discharge later the same day.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said no diplomatic personnel or embassy staff were injured. The mission was closed at the time of the assault.
Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that law enforcement is treating the knife assault as a terrorist attack. Dacic said the attacker shouted the Arabic phrase Allahu Akbar during the assault.
Dacic also announced that the country raised its terror threat alert to the highest level, called red alert. The measure prompted immediate reinforcements at sensitive installations, critical infrastructure, and crowded public locations.
Officials confirmed the attacker was a minor believed to be from the western Serbian city of Šabac. Security services had previously monitored him as an alleged Islamic State sympathizer after finding an Islamic State flag on his Instagram account.
The Belgrade Higher Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the officer's use of lethal force was fully justified in self-defense.
The incident marked the second armed assault against personnel guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade within two years. In June 2024, an assailant armed with a crossbow shot a police officer in the neck outside the embassy before being killed.
The embassy sits near the United States Embassy in an upscale neighborhood and remains guarded continuously by armed special police units. The attack occurred during a transitional political period, with an outgoing government serving in a caretaker capacity following recent parliamentary elections.
The prosecutor's office is conducting a full criminal investigation to establish the minor suspect's identity, motives, and background networks. Counterterrorism services are assessing whether the attacker acted entirely alone or had assistance from local extremist cells or online radical networks.
Police units and security agencies will maintain increased patrols, heightened surveillance, and tightened checkpoints at major transit sites and key infrastructure.
