A man is in critical condition after reportedly setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC Sunday afternoon.
The DC Fire and EMS services were dispatched to the scene shortly before 1 p.m., a spokesperson confirmed to The Post.
By the time first responders arrived, the flames had already been extinguished by members of the US Secret Service, the fire service added.
The man was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The Israeli Embassy did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for a comment on the incident.
No embassy staff were injured during the fire, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, according to GLZ Radio.
Fire trucks and other emergency vehicles – including hazmat crews – were subsequently spotted arriving at the scene to deal with a suspicious vehicle, freelance reporter Andrew Leyden shared on X.
The incident comes after months of political tensions over Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack and Israel’s subsequent ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the controversial assault on the southern city of Rafah, saying it “has to be done” for a “total victory.”
Rafah is now the most densely populated Gazan city after Palestinians in the north were forced to flee the Israeli military’s assault on the north.
