分类： world

SYDNEY – A joyous Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach turned into a scene of carnage on Sunday when two assailants opened fire on a crowd of over 1,000 people, killing 11 and injuring 29 others in what Australian authorities have declared a terrorist attack.

The assault occurred during the ‘Hanukkah by the Sea’ ceremony marking the first night of the Jewish festival of lights. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns confirmed the attack was deliberately orchestrated to target Sydney’s Jewish community, transforming an occasion meant for spiritual reflection and happiness into one of profound tragedy.

Law enforcement response was immediate, with one gunman fatally shot by police and the other apprehended at the scene. Among the wounded were two police officers reported to be in critical condition following the confrontation.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation, characterizing the violence as a “dark moment” for Australia and condemning the attack as an assault on the country’s fundamental values. “There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation,” he stated, while calling for national unity and vowing a comprehensive investigation.

Dramatic eyewitness footage circulated by Australian media depicted a bystander heroically tackling and disarming one attacker before the individual retreated. Simultaneously, a second shooter positioned on a nearby bridge continued firing toward the crowd from approximately 50-100 meters away.

Authorities later discovered a vehicle containing several improvised explosive devices in the Bondi area, heightening concerns about the planned scale of the attack. New South Wales Police issued urgent advisories for the public to avoid the Bondi Beach vicinity as operations continued through the evening.

The Chinese Consulate General in Sydney promptly issued a security alert for Chinese nationals residing in New South Wales, advising heightened vigilance, precautionary measures, and maintained communication channels.

Federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the Australian Federal Police and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, have initiated a joint counterterrorism investigation to identify all individuals associated with planning and executing the attack. Acting AFP Commissioner Nigel Ryan pledged the deployment of all available specialist resources and powers to ensure a thorough investigation.

A festive Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach was shattered by violence when two assailants opened fire on attendees, resulting in at least 11 fatalities and multiple injuries. The attack, which Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned as a deliberate act of terrorism and antisemitism, occurred on the first night of the Jewish festival of lights.

New South Wales police confirmed emergency services transported at least 29 wounded individuals to area hospitals following the shooting. The assailants were confronted at the scene, with one perpetrator killed during the incident and the other sustaining critical injuries. Authorities later discovered improvised explosive devices within a vehicle connected to the deceased attacker near the beachfront location.

Prime Minister Albanese addressed the nation, emphasizing the symbolic significance of targeting Jewish Australians during what should be a joyous religious observance. “This violent act strikes at the heart of our nation’s values,” Albanese stated. “An attack on Jewish Australians constitutes an attack on all Australians and our multicultural society.”

The Bondi Beach area, typically crowded with summer tourists and locals during the southern hemisphere’s peak holiday season, was transformed into an active crime scene as police secured the perimeter. Initial emergency responses began at approximately 6:47 PM local time following reports of gunfire at the “Hanukkah by the Sea” community event.

Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the motivations behind the attack and potential connections to broader extremist networks. Security has been heightened at Jewish institutions nationwide as the community mourns the tragic loss of life.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has officially designated the deadly shooting at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach as a terrorist attack. The confirmation came during a Sunday evening press conference where the leader characterized the violence as a calculated act targeting Jewish Australians.

The assault occurred during the ‘Hanukkah by the Sea’ celebration, a festive gathering marking the first night of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Prime Minister Albanese emphasized the particular cruelty of timing, noting that the attack transformed what should have been “a day of joy, a celebration of faith” into a scene of tragedy.

Authorities are investigating the incident as a deliberate act of antisemitic terrorism that has profoundly impacted the nation. The Prime Minister’s statement described the event as “an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism, that has struck the heart of our nation,” underscoring the targeted nature of the violence against the Jewish community during their religious observance.

The confirmation follows an earlier report of a mass shooting at the popular beach destination, with investigations ongoing to determine the full scope of casualties and the specific motivations behind the attack. Security agencies have intensified efforts to address community safety concerns following this declaration of a terrorist incident.

The Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney has activated emergency protocols following a deadly shooting incident at Bondi Beach that resulted in multiple casualties on Sunday. In response to the security crisis, diplomatic officials have issued an urgent safety advisory through their official WeChat platform targeting Chinese nationals residing in New South Wales.

The consulate’s directive emphasizes heightened vigilance and proactive security measures. Chinese citizens are instructed to maintain constant awareness of local security developments, implement appropriate personal protection strategies, and ensure mobile communication devices remain operational at all times. The advisory specifically mandates immediate contact with Australian law enforcement and emergency services should any security threats arise.

Australian authorities have concurrently established security perimeters around the affected area, urging public avoidance of the Bondi Beach vicinity while police operations continue. The shooting incident, which marks one of Sydney’s most significant public security events in recent years, has triggered coordinated response efforts between international diplomatic missions and local law enforcement agencies.

The consulate’s communication highlights the importance of real-time information sharing and represents part of broader contingency planning for overseas citizen protection. This incident has prompted reevaluation of security protocols for international communities within Australia, with particular attention to tourist-frequented locations and public gathering spaces.

A horrific mass shooting shattered the evening calm at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday night, resulting in at least 12 fatalities and multiple injuries in what authorities have declared a terrorist incident. The attack occurred at approximately 6:40 PM local time when at least two assailants armed with high-powered firearms opened fire on crowds of people.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns confirmed the tragic death toll, noting that one of the perpetrators was among the deceased while another remains in police custody. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon formally classified the violent assault as an act of terrorism, marking one of Australia’s most devastating security incidents in recent years.

Emergency services responded to the chaotic scene where 16 victims were transported to area hospitals, with several others receiving immediate medical attention on site. Among those injured were at least two police officers who responded to the emergency. Television network Nine Network reported that as many as 20 people may have been shot during the attack.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation identified one of the gunmen as Naveed Akram from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-west, citing an anonymous senior law enforcement official. Police subsequently conducted a raid on Akram’s residence as part of their investigation.

The timing and location of the attack carried particular significance as many members of Sydney’s Jewish community had gathered at the beach for Hanukkah celebrations, the Jewish Festival of Lights. In response to the tragedy, a scheduled Hanukkah event in Melbourne was canceled, with Jewish communities across Australia placed on high alert.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the Bondi scenes as “shocking,” while Premier Minns characterized the incident as deeply distressing. Authorities have confirmed there is no longer an active threat but continue to urge the public to avoid the area as investigations proceed. Visual evidence from the scene depicted abandoned firearms on the ground and terrified beachgoers fleeing for safety.

SYDNEY, Australia — A horrific attack during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach has left at least 11 people dead, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger of the Chabad movement, prompting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to denounce the shooting as an act of antisemitic terrorism. This tragedy occurs against a backdrop of escalating religiously motivated violence in Australia, which has recorded 1,713 antisemitic incidents in 2024 alone.

According to Tel Aviv University’s annual report on global antisemitism, Australia and Italy have experienced the most significant increases in antisemitic attacks worldwide this year, even as global numbers show a slight decline. This surge has profoundly shaken Australia’s Jewish community, numbering approximately 117,000 among the country’s 28 million residents.

Uriya Shavit, who oversees the antisemitism report, noted that Australia had historically been considered one of the safest environments for Jewish people worldwide. “Australian Jews are now seriously asking whether they have a future in the country,” Shavit stated, citing increasing legitimization of anti-Jewish rhetoric in public discourse and inadequate governmental response to growing threats.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry issued a forceful statement demanding concrete action: “The time for talking is over. We need decisive leadership to eradicate the scourge of antisemitism from Australia’s public life. Government’s first duty is to keep its citizens safe.”

Most antisemitic incidents have occurred in Sydney and Melbourne, home to 85% of Australia’s Jewish population. In August, Prime Minister Albanese accused Iran of orchestrating two previous antisemitic attacks in Australia, leading to severed diplomatic relations with Tehran. While no immediate connection to Iran has been established in Sunday’s attack, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization had previously concluded that Iran directed arson attacks against a Sydney kosher food company in October and a Melbourne synagogue two months later.

The attack targeted a public Hanukkah ceremony marking the eight-day holiday’s commencement on December 14. Chabad, an international Orthodox Jewish movement known for its public menorah lightings, has held annual celebrations at Bondi Beach that typically attract hundreds of participants. The movement, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, maintains emissaries in over 100 countries and has faced numerous attacks globally, including deadly assaults in Mumbai (2008) and California (2019).

The Royal Thai Army issued a formal condemnation on Sunday against Cambodian military forces for launching rocket attacks on civilian zones in Thailand’s Si Sa Ket Province, resulting in one civilian fatality and property destruction. According to an official statement, Cambodian troops targeted non-military areas including residential neighborhoods and school districts with BM-21 rocket systems on December 14, 2025.

The assault claimed the life of one Thai citizen who suffered fatal shrapnel wounds, while additional damage included the complete destruction of one residential property through subsequent fires. This represents the second consecutive day of cross-border attacks focusing on civilian infrastructure, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing border tensions between the Southeast Asian nations.

Army spokesperson Winthai Suvaree explicitly stated that no ceasefire agreements are currently under consideration between the conflicting parties. The Thai military attributes the continued hostilities to Cambodia’s persistent aggression toward both military installations and civilian settlements, which Bangkok characterizes as constituting a severe national security threat.

The Royal Thai Army emphasized that defensive operations will continue indefinitely until Cambodian forces completely terminate all hostile activities. The current military posture reflects Thailand’s commitment to protecting its territorial integrity and civilian population while maintaining the right to self-defense under international norms.

In a significant escalation of post-ceasefire hostilities, Israeli forces successfully targeted and eliminated Raed Saed, a high-ranking Hamas military commander, during a precision strike in Gaza City on Saturday. The operation marks the most prominent assassination of a Hamas official since the temporary truce agreement took effect in October.

According to Israeli defense authorities, Saed occupied a critical role within Hamas’ operational hierarchy, serving as chief of weapons manufacturing and development. Multiple sources within the organization additionally identified him as second-in-command of Hamas’ entire military wing, answering only to Izz eldeen Al-Hadad. His operational history included leadership of Hamas’ Gaza City battalion, renowned as one of its most capable and well-equipped combat units.

The targeted vehicle strike resulted in four fatalities according to Gaza health officials. Israeli military intelligence indicates Saed was a principal architect of the October 7, 2023 attacks that triggered the current conflict, during which approximately 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed and 251 taken hostage.

Despite the ongoing ceasefire that has enabled hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to Gaza City and allowed increased humanitarian aid deliveries, this targeted operation demonstrates Israel’s continued counterterrorism operations against high-value targets. The conflict has resulted in substantial casualties, with Gaza health officials reporting over 70,700 Palestinian deaths since hostilities began.