An Israeli officer and three Palestinian militants were wounded in clashes in the West Bank early Tuesday, Palestinian and Israeli security sources reported.

Palestinian sources said Israeli troops stormed the refugee camp of Balata in the West Bank city of Nablus, where Palestinian militants threw a bomb at one of the Israeli jeeps, wounding the officer.

Israeli soldiers fired back at the militants haphazardly, wounding three, among them a 15-year-old teenager, witnesses said.

Palestinian medics at the Rafidia hospital said the teenager was inside his home in the refugee camp when he was wounded, adding that he was taken to hospital for a serious wound in the chest.

Israel army radio reported that the wounded Israeli officer sustained light injury and was transferred to hospital for treatment.

Israeli troops also arrested some 20 Palestinians in an overnight operation throughout the West Bank cities, mainly in Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and Hebron, claiming that they were wanted militants affiliated to several Palestinian factions.

In Jenin, Israeli soldiers raided the village of Kherbet Marka and arrested Ahmed Mousa, 20, brother of Zayed Mousa, a wanted militant of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Israeli troops are continuing their military operation against Palestinian militants in the West Bank after an Islamic Jihad ( Holy War) suicide bomber from Jenin killed five Israelis last month.

Palestinian sources said hundreds of Palestinians were arrested during the operation and the majority of the arrested are members of Hamas and Jihad.

Source: Xinhua