Police in Denmark and Sweden announced on Wednesday that they are investigating explosions and gunfire incidents near Israeli embassies in their respective capitals, which occurred amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
In Denmark, authorities reported that three Swedish nationals were arrested following two explosions near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen in the early hours of Wednesday. Meanwhile, Swedish police stated that the Israeli embassy in Stockholm was targeted in a shooting incident on Tuesday evening, just before 6pm.
No injuries were reported from either incident, but both occurred against a backdrop of heightened international concern as Iran launched missile attacks on Israel, which has vowed to retaliate.
"Two explosions occurred at 3.20am at the Israeli embassy. It is our preliminary assessment that it was due to two hand grenades," said Jens Jespersen of the Copenhagen police during a press conference. He added that three Swedes aged between 15 and 20 had been arrested.
The police officer explained that one suspect was arrested shortly after the incident, near the crime scene, and that the other two were apprehended later. Earlier, police had stated that two suspects were arrested on a train at Copenhagen Central Station.
"It's too early to say if there is a link" between the blasts and the Israeli embassy, said Danish police spokesman Jakob Hansen regarding the Copenhagen incidents. By mid-morning, the area in Copenhagen was cordoned off, and police were working at the scene, according to an AFP correspondent.
Denmark's intelligence service PET said it was closely monitoring the situation and assisting the police investigation. "We are also in dialogue with the Israeli embassy about security, and are constantly assessing the scale of the security measures already implemented in relation to a number of Jewish locations," PET stated.
Israel's Ambassador to Denmark, David Akov, expressed shock on X about the "appalling incident near the embassy a few hours ago."
Swedish police confirmed that the Israeli embassy building had been hit by shots on Tuesday evening. "We've made finds that indicate a shooting at Israel's embassy, but we don't want to disclose exactly what finds have been made since there is an ongoing investigation," said Rebecca Landberg, Stockholm police press officer.
Landberg added that an investigation had been opened into an aggravated weapons offence, endangerment of others, and unlawful threats. No arrests have been made, but police are actively gathering and analyzing material from the many surveillance cameras in the area.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, several incidents targeting Israeli interests in Sweden have been reported. In February, police found a grenade in the Israeli embassy compound grounds, which the ambassador described as an attempted attack. In May, gunshots were fired outside the Israeli embassy, prompting Sweden to increase security around Israeli interests and Jewish community institutions.
