A police officer guarding the Israeli Embassy in Belgrade was injured in a crossbow attack on Saturday, which Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić labeled a terrorist act against Serbia. The assailant, a Serbian national, was shot and killed by the officer shortly after the attack.
The attacker, identified as Milos Zujovic, approached the embassy multiple times before retrieving a crossbow from his bag and shooting the officer, Milos Jevremovic, in the neck. Jevremovic managed to return fire, fatally wounding Zujovic. The officer was hospitalized and underwent surgery to remove the arrow from his neck; he is now in stable condition.
Serbia’s Interior Minister Ivica Dacic confirmed that the incident was a terrorist attack and announced the arrest of several individuals linked to the case. He indicated that Zujovic was a Muslim convert known by the religious name Salahudin and had connections to the Wahhabi movement, a strict branch of Islam.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that no embassy staff were injured and described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz expressed gratitude to the Serbian government for its support and wished the injured guard a speedy recovery.
The attack has heightened concerns about the security of Israeli-linked institutions in Europe, particularly following recent tensions in Gaza. Serbian authorities have increased the threat level to red, enhancing police presence around potential targets and conducting searches for additional suspects.
Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic described the incident as a crime of an individual and urged the public to remain calm.
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