Sydney, December 14, 2025: At least 10 people were killed and around a dozen wounded when gunmen opened fire during a Jewish holiday event at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday, Australian officials said, in one of the deadliest attacks the country has seen in recent years.
New South Wales Police confirmed that two suspects had been taken into custody, while the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that one of at least two gunmen was among those killed. Around a dozen injured people were taken to nearby hospitals, according to a spokesperson for New South Wales Ambulance.
Police also said an improvised explosive device (IED) was discovered in a vehicle linked to one of the suspects.
“We have found an improvised explosive device in a car which is linked to the deceased offender,” New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a news conference.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “shocking and distressing,” saying emergency services were responding swiftly.
“Emergency responders are on the ground and working to save lives,” he said.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic. “I saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere,” 30-year-old local resident Harry Wilson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said members of the Jewish community who had gathered to light the first candle of the Hanukkah holiday were attacked by “vile terrorists.” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was appalled by the shooting, alleging it was linked to rising anti-Semitism in Australia.
Bondi Beach, one of the world’s most famous coastal landmarks, is usually packed with locals and tourists, particularly on warm weekend evenings.
“If we were targeted deliberately in this way, it’s something of a scale that none of us could have ever fathomed. It’s a horrific thing,” said Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, adding that his media adviser was among those wounded.
Videos circulating on social media platform X appeared to show beachgoers and people in a nearby park fleeing as gunshots rang out and police sirens blared. One video showed a man dressed in black firing a large weapon before being tackled by another man, while a separate clip showed shots being fired from a pedestrian bridge. Other footage showed police detaining two men on a bridge and attempting to resuscitate one of them. Reuters could not independently verify the videos.
The attack occurred nearly 11 years after the 2014 Lindt Café siege in Sydney, when a lone gunman took 18 hostages, killing two before being shot dead by police after a 16-hour standoff.
Opposition Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley said the loss of life was “significant.”
“Australians are in deep mourning tonight, with hateful violence striking at the heart of an iconic Australian community — a place we all know and love, Bondi,” she said.
Pakistan condemns attack, expresses solidarity
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Australia in separate statements.
In a statement from the Presidency, President Zardari expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offered prayers for the victims, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
“Pakistan, itself a victim of terrorism, stands in solidarity with Australia and condemns violence against innocent civilians,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also extended condolences, saying Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms.
“We stand in solidarity with the people and government of Australia in this difficult time,” he said.
