Israeli army: Soldier killed by rock during West Bank raid

An Israeli soldier was killed on Tuesday morning during a West Bank arrest raid when a rock thrown off a rooftop struck him in the head, the military said.

The military typically carries out such predawn raids against wanted militants in the West Bank, occasionally encountering local resistance but the killing of a soldier is rare.

The military said 21-year-old Amit Ben-Yigal was on “operational activity” near the West Bank city of Jenin when a large rock was thrown off a rooftop and struck him on the head. A search was on for the attacker.

Israel has seen a series of shootings, stabbings and car-ramming attacks in recent years, mostly carried out by lone attackers with no apparent links to armed groups. Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups have praised the attacks but have not claimed responsibility for them.

Wednesday's raid was aimed at arresting four Palestinians wanted for stone-throwing at Israeli vehicles and other recent attacks. It comes a day after Israeli forces demolished the home of a Palestinian accused of being behind a deadly blast in the West Bank last year.