Israeli Soldier Arrested for Shooting Palestinian Minor in West Bank Amid Rising Tensions

Israeli military investigators arrested a regular service soldier from the Beqaa region on Saturday, suspecting him of shooting a Palestinian minor the previous evening. The Palestinian youth from Al-Mu'ayer was hospitalized in Ramallah with gunshot wounds. Following the incident, police collected testimonies and identified the soldier, who was disarmed. This arrest comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank, prompting the Israeli military to reinforce its presence with 26 active battalions in the area. Senior military officials described the situation as highly volatile and dangerous, warning of a "snowball effect" that will be difficult to halt. A large-scale operation targeting terror infrastructure and incitement is expected to be postponed until after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United States. The military clarified that a separate recent fire near Givat Gilad was not a deliberate arson but caused by a cigarette thrown, as confirmed by video evidence and investigations. Two suspects related to that fire were released by police.