A Swedish police bomb squad on Wednesday destroyed an object suspected to be an explosive device found outside the building of the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm.
Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported that the object was thrown inside the fence surrounding the embassy. Police are now investigating the object and have not confirmed Swedish news reports that it was a hand grenade.
Israeli Ambassador to Sweden Ziv Nevo Kulman posted on X, "Today we suffered an attempted attack on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm and its employees. We thank the Swedish authorities for their quick response. We will not be intimidated by terror."
Authorities in Sweden, Germany and Denmark revealed earlier this month they had arrested operatives associated with Hamas who had planned attacks on targets across Europe. Shortly after the announcements, Israel accused Hamas of planning to attack its embassy in Sweden. Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency named an alleged Hamas network member in Sweden without specifying whether he was also in custody.
Since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, Israel has been warning of attempts by Iran-affiliated groups and Hamas to carry out attacks against its interests and Jewish targets across Europe. Last December, the Mossad confirmed it assisted Cypriot authorities in apprehending an Iranian cell that planned to carry out attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in Cyprus. Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands arrested seven people in mid-December suspected of planning attacks against Jewish institutions in Europe. Four of the seven were suspected of membership in Hamas.
