Explosion Near Israeli Embassy in Cyprus; Suspects Detained

Reports from Cypriot media said that an explosion occurred near the Israeli Embassy in Nicosia. One suspect was arrested, while three others were detained, all of Syrian descent. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties or damage resulting from the incident.

Following the explosion around 1:30 a.m., a piece of metal with explosive residue was discovered about 100 feet from the embassy. Cypriot authorities called in police officers and bomb disposal experts to inspect the findings, with preliminary assessments suggesting that the device was an improvised explosive.

Cypriot police noticed two individuals acting suspiciously in the vicinity. Simultaneously, they observed two others in a nearby vehicle attempting to conceal knives and a hammer. A 21-year-old man, the owner of the car, was arrested on suspicion of possessing an illegal weapon, while the others were detained for further questioning.

Since the outbreak of the conflict with Hamas, Israeli embassies worldwide have been on heightened security alert. In certain instances, embassies in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain, and Turkmenistan were evacuated due to security concerns. In Jordan, demonstrators threatened to breach the Israeli Embassy premises but were dispersed by security forces using tear gas.

Furthermore, the number of diplomats was reduced in several Israeli embassies, and non-essential staff or family members were asked to return to Israel. Israel also evacuated its diplomats from Turkey and intended to repatriate some of its diplomats in the country, though not all. The Israeli Foreign Ministry temporarily or partially closed 20 embassies worldwide, including in Europe and South America, in response to significant demonstrations. In these affected countries, diplomats were instructed to work from home or, in some cases, were transferred to safer cities within the same country.