PARIS — French counter-terrorism police have shot a woman reportedly threatening passers-by in southern Paris.

A police source told the BBC that they intervened at Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand train station on Tuesday after being alerted by passengers.

The woman, said to be wearing a veil, reportedly threatened to blow herself up.

When she refused to comply with police orders they opened fire, the source said.

She is said to be critical but stable after being shot in the abdomen.

The incident comes amidst heightened tension in France caused by the Israel-Hamas war.

Earlier this month, a teacher was killed and two people seriously injured at a school in northern France by an attacker who reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar". In the wake of the incident, France raised its counter-terrorism security alert to its highest level.

Separately, the Paris region has also been rocked by a spate of antisemitic incidents in recent days. Stars of David have been found daubed on buildings in several areas of Paris and its suburbs.

In Saint-Ouen, a northern suburb, Stars of David were found daubed on the home of a resident. Mayor Karim Bouamrane called for the authors of the "antisemitic and racist" graffiti to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

About 60 more Stars of David were graffitied on several buildings in the 14th arrondissement of Paris on the night of 30-31 October.

Emmanuel Grégoire, deputy to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, said the stars would be removed and an investigation launched. — BBC