The Serbian Interior Ministry said that a bow-and-arrow attacker injured a Serbian police officer who was guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade on Saturday. The officer responded by shooting the attacker, leading to his death.

Serbian and Israeli officials indicated that initial signs point to terrorism as the motive.

Interior Minister Ivica Dačić stated in a statement that the attacker shot a projectile at the officer, hitting him in the neck. He added that the officer "then used a weapon in self-defense to shoot the attacker, who later died from his injuries."

The police officer was conscious when he was transported to the main emergency hospital in Belgrade and underwent surgery to remove the projectile from his neck. Hospital officials stated that his condition is stable after the surgery.

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, "An attempted terrorist attack occurred today in the vicinity of the Israeli embassy in Belgrade." The spokesperson said that the embassy is closed and that no embassy staff were injured.

Dačić told reporters that an investigation is underway, but "there is now all evidence that the motives are related to terrorism, as there is no other motive for someone to attack a police officer outside the Israeli embassy."

Dačić stated that the attacker is a 25-year-old Serbian who converted to Islam. He added that the police are investigating his network and potential connections to foreign terrorist groups after another person was arrested near the shooting site.

Dačić, referring to the radical Islamic movement, said: "There are indications that these individuals are already known to the security services... the Wahhabi movement. But this has not yet been confirmed."

Authorities have raised the state of security alert in Belgrade, including in foreign embassies, government buildings, and public places like shopping centers and other crowded areas.

The Israeli embassy is located not far from the American embassy in an upscale area of Belgrade. It is guarded by a special police unit that includes officers armed with automatic weapons.

Serbia has maintained close relations with Israel during the war in Gaza.