A minimum of 12 individuals died and many more suffered injuries when two armed attackers fired upon a Jewish gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.

Australian officials have classified the shooting as a terrorist act that was aimed at hundreds celebrating at the beach. According to one witness, the shooters directed non-participants away from the area.

Authorities confirmed at least 29 individuals were injured in the attack, which occurred around 6:45 pm Sunday at one of Sydney’s busiest tourist spots. Security forces shot one attacker and detained another.

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon reported that officers discovered several suspected homemade explosive devices in a vehicle close to the scene, with bomb disposal teams responding.

“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy,” stated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, adding, “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”

Albanese characterized the assault as “evil” and “beyond comprehension,” while calling an emergency session of the nation’s security council.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a strong condemnation of the attack Sunday.

“Antisemitism has no place in this world. Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia,” Rubio wrote in a post on X.

Hero bystander

Dramatic video from the incident captured dozens of beach visitors fleeing as gunfire erupted. Additional footage showed one attacker firing for several minutes from a bridge as sirens blared.

A video aired on Australian TV networks and seen by millions on social media depicted a civilian confronting and subduing one gunman, then aiming the assailant’s weapon at him.

Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales (the state containing Sydney), called the footage the “most unbelievable scene I’ve ever seen”.

“A man walking up to a gunman who had fired on the community and single-handedly disarming him, putting his own life at risk to save the lives of countless other people.”

“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery,” he said.

Eyewitnesses reported that a nearby police officer exchanged fire with the attackers, resulting in a 10-minute gun battle.

Mass shootings remain exceedingly uncommon in Australia. The 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which claimed 35 lives, prompted severe restrictions on firearm access, significantly limiting gun ownership.

A rise in anti-Semitism

Islamic organizations swiftly denounced the shooting.

“These acts of violence and crimes have no place in our society. Those responsible must be held fully accountable and face the full force of the law,” the Australian National Imams Council, the Council of Imams NSW and the Australian Muslim community said in a statement.

“Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those who witnessed or were affected by this deeply traumatic attack.”

The attack comes amid a continuous increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Australia following the start of Israel’s Gaza conflict in October 2023.

Jewish representatives from the seven largest global diaspora groups met in Sydney earlier this month to alert authorities about surging anti-Semitism in the country.

Data from indicate that anti-Semitic occurrences in Australia have reached historic peaks, at “nearly fivefold the average yearly figure before October 7, 2023.” The organization 1,654 anti‑Jewish incidents across Australia between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025, in addition to 2,062 cases nationwide the previous year.