France on alert, deploys 7,000 soldiers for patrols

France was on high alert on Saturday, after an attacker stabbed a teacher to death in what the president called an act of "Islamist terror," with troops deployed and the Louvre museum evacuating visitors.

Friday's attack took place in the northeastern town of Arras, home to large Jewish and Muslim populations.

A man in his twenties killed French teacher Dominique Bernard and severely wounded three others at the school he used to attend.

On Saturday, amid fears that the conflict between Israel and Hamas could lead to violence in foreign capitals, France announced it would deploy up to 7,000 soldiers under the highest warning level, while the famous Louvre museum in Paris evacuated visitors and closed following a "security" threat.

Police arrested the suspected perpetrator of Friday's attack, Mohammed Moguchkov, who had cried the Arabic phrase "Allahu akbar!" (God is greatest).