Serbia lifts threat level to red after guard kills knife attacker

Serbian authorities raised the national terrorism threat level to red on Wednesday morning following a fatal confrontation outside the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade. The elevated status mandates stricter security checks and a heavier police presence at infrastructure sites and public gathering spots.

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic stated that a police guard engaged a knife-wielding assailant overnight. The officer sustained minor injuries before shooting and killing the attacker in self-defense. Dacic identified the assailant as a minor from the western town of Sabac who had been monitored by security agencies as a supporter of the Islamic State group.

The minister reported that the attacker shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the assault. Investigators noted the individual kept an image of the IS black flag on his Instagram account. Israel's Foreign Ministry later confirmed the event as an attempted terrorist attack, noting that no embassy staff were injured.

This incident follows a similar assault in June 2024 at the same location, where a police officer was seriously wounded by an attacker wielding a crossbow. That previous assailant, a 25-year-old convert, was also shot dead by police. The current attack occurred one day after Israel held its parliamentary vote and just days after Serbia's own early parliamentary election.

Police are currently treating the Belgrade incident as a terrorist act. The red alert level signals the highest tier of precaution in the country's security protocol, requiring immediate adjustments to patrol routes and entry controls at sensitive locations.