"At 2:20 this morning, there was shooting at the Israeli embassy in Nouakchott. All the embassy staff, Israeli and Mauritanian, are safe," Israel's Ambassador to Mauritania, Boaz Bismouth, told the Reuters news agency.

"I have received many phone calls from Mauritanian friends who are very concerned. That is the only positive thing in a very sad night," he said.

Mauritania is one of the few Arab League countries that has diplomatic relations with Israel.