Supplemental Info:
Incident Details:
On December 14, 2025, two armed assailants conducted a coordinated terrorist attack targeting the "Chanukah by the Sea 2025" public event in Bondi Park, adjacent to Campbell Parade at Sydney's Bondi Beach.
The open-air Hanukkah celebration, organized by Chabad of Bondi and attended by over 1,000 individuals (primarily families marking the first night of the holiday), was struck by sustained gunfire from long-arm weapons. Preliminary casualty figures indicate at least 12 fatalities (11 civilians and one perpetrator neutralized by police) and 29 injured, including two police officers; numbers remain fluid pending hospital updates. One suspect was killed on scene, the second is in critical condition in custody.
A vehicle linked to the deceased attacker contained multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which were rendered safe by bomb disposal units, suggesting potential for secondary attacks. NSW Police declared a terrorist incident, citing targeting of the Jewish community, weapon types, and recovered items.
The Bondi attack has prompted an immediate elevation of security postures at Jewish institutions across North America and Europe, with community security organizations (e.g., Community Security Trust in the UK, analogous groups in the US and Europe) implementing heightened protective measures at synagogues, community centers, schools, and remaining public Hanukkah events amid concerns over copycat or opportunistic threats during the holiday period.
Enhanced policing, private security deployments, and event cancellations/modifications have been reported in multiple regions, with more to come as the day progresses. Chanukah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple, is observed in 2025 from sundown on December 14 to nightfall on December 22.
