A shooting at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach during the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah has claimed at least 12 lives, including children and a police officer. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the act as a terrorist and anti-Semitic attack targeting the Jewish community. Two perpetrators have claimed responsibility for the attack with long guns, with one being detained and the other shot dead. At a venue where about 2,000 people were present. It is the country's worst mass shooting since 1996.

They also found an explosive device

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the incident a terrorist act as it was directed against the Jewish community. In addition to the 12 dead, 29 people, including two police officers, were taken to various hospitals in Sydney.

Sydney Massacre from Drone. Gunman on Bridge, People Lying Below Him

"We found an improvised explosive device in the car that is linked to the deceased offender," Lanyon said. New South Wales Police have urged the public to avoid the area due to an ongoing bomb threat. Pyrotechnicians are currently working to defuse several possible improvised explosive devices.

Police said one of the attackers was shot dead and the other was shot and then detained. Police are also investigating the possibility of a third attacker. The head of Australia's intelligence agency ASIO, Mike Burgess, said one of the attackers was known to the service but was not assessed as an immediate threat. Emergency services first responded to reports of the shooting at 6:45 p.m. (08:45 a.m. CET).

The attacker was disarmed by a witness.

One of the active shooters was disarmed with his bare hands by an eyewitness who approached him from behind a car in a parking lot. This is according to footage on social media. According to the video, a man in a white T-shirt jumps on the attacker with a rifle from behind, takes his weapon and forces him to leave without it. The footage later shows the second shooter, who was shooting at people from the bridge. The Israeli server N12 on X published a video that allegedly captures an unknown man who intervened against one of the shooters and disarmed him.

תיעוד דרמטי מסידני: אדם נאבק אדם מחבלים הוטף את הנשקפ - ויורה@asafroz15

— الحديقة - N12 (@N12News) December 14, 2025

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese strongly condemned the attack, vowing that the government would root out"hate, violence and terrorism." New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said "what should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in this community with families and supporters has been shattered by this horrific, vicious attack."

The attack was also condemned by the Australian National Imams Council, which said that"such acts of violence and crimes have no place in our society."

Bondi Beach in eastern Sydney is Australia's most famous beach, attracting huge numbers of surfers, swimmers and tourists, especially on weekends.