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Belgium's authorities have detained three suspects accused of plotting an attack on the nation's prime minister, Bart de Wever.

Federal prosecutors characterized the suspected plot as a terrorist act motivated by jihadist ideology targeting the premier and additional politicians.

During raids conducted in Antwerp's Deurne district, in proximity to the premier's home, investigators found a suspected improvised explosive device and evidence that the suspects were planning to deploy a drone.

While the intended targets of the strike were not disclosed by name by the legal authorities, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot revealed that de Wever was included in the targets.

"The news of a intended attack aimed at PM Bart de Wever is extremely shocking," the deputy prime minister wrote in a update on X on Thursday.

"This underscores that we are dealing with a very real terrorism risk and that we have to keep watchful," he concluded.

The three people arrested on suspicion of attempted terrorist murder and engagement in the functions of a extremist organization all are based in the city of Antwerp, according to the legal authorities. They were with years of birth in three different years between 2001 and 2007.

On late Thursday, one person was released, while two others were still being questioned and expected to be presented before a court on the next day.

Federal prosecutors said that the individuals were taken into custody after a magistrate directed searches of their residences in the city by police officers backed by explosives-trained dogs.

In the course of these searches that they located a item which appeared to be an IED, legal representative Ann Fransen stated at a media briefing on Thursday.

Investigations also revealed a "bag of steel balls" and a 3D printer, with signs of drone weaponization plans, she noted.

The official disclosed that there had been 80 extremist probes opened in Belgium in the current year - more than the overall count of investigations in the previous year.

In April, five individuals were sentenced for a scheme last year to strike Belgium's leader while he was holding the position of the mayor of Antwerp.