Israeli army raids Jenin in second operation this week

Nephew of Mohammad Naghnaghia says the Al Quds Brigades' member was arrested on Wednesday morning

Israeli soldiers near the West Bank city of Jenin. EPA

Israeli forces exchanged fire with local armed groups, and arrested one person, during a raid on a refugee camp in Jenin on Wednesday morning, sources and reports confirmed.

Mohammad Naghnaghia, a leader in the Al Quds Brigades armed group, was arrested this morning, his nephew Ibrahim Naghnaghia told The National.

"Israeli special forces raided the family home, investigated Mohammad and then took him before withdrawing," Ibrahim said.

"This is not the first time he has been arrested. He has been taken twice before."

The Israeli army said Mohammad Naghnaghia is wanted for "carrying out a number of shooting attacks" in the West Bank.

The raid is the second time in a week that Israeli troops carried out an operation in the occupied West Bank area of Jenin, after a pause following a major operation at the start of July.

During the raid, the Jenin Brigades said it targeted Israeli forces on the camp's peripheries.

The latest operation comes a day after Israeli troops killed a man they accused of belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group.

Violence in the occupied West Bank has surged this year during the long-deadlocked US peacemaking efforts.

Earlier this week, Israel's military said they arrested three men wanted for a string of attacks during a raid on Monday in the city of Jenin and its refugee camp.

In July, Israel launched a two-day campaign by land and air in one of the largest West Bank raids since the Second Intifada, or uprising, more than two decades ago when dozens of Palestinians, including children were killed or wounded.

The offensive came just weeks after a deadly Jenin raid on June 19 that included air strikes.

This year has been the deadliest on record since 2005, with more than 100 Palestinians killed, including children, and about 30 Israelis, the UN said.