TEL AVIV, Israel: Israeli police have arrested 10 suspects over violent incidents in the occupied West Bank, including attacks on a US photojournalist and European diplomats, following international demands for action against settler violence.

The arrests were announced on October 19 after the United States, Israel's closest ally, called for those responsible for attacking Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine to be brought to justice. France, Belgium and Poland also urged Israel to act after their diplomats were attacked.

Police said the suspects were detained during a pre-dawn operation on suspicion of involvement in violence, breaking an order declaring an area a closed military zone and carrying out illegal construction. The suspects were taken into custody for questioning. Israel's Army Radio reported that they were Israeli citizens.

Prosecutions of Israeli settlers for violence against Palestinians remain rare.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee welcomed the arrests in a post on X, describing them as "a very positive development in finding & punishing those who severely attacked and beat" Levine.

Police released video footage of the operation that appeared to show at least one suspect being arrested. His face was not visible, but he appeared to be wearing tzitzit, ritual tassels commonly worn by observant Jewish men. The footage also appeared to show officers finding two slingshots at a property. Such devices can be used to throw stones.

Police, the military and Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service took part in the operation.

Israeli police commissioner Daniel Levy said the law applied equally to everyone, regardless of identity or political or religious connections. Referring to the West Bank by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria, he stressed that officers would pursue cases according to the evidence and the law.

The arrests followed an attack on Levine on Friday, when dozens of masked Israeli settlers, some reportedly armed, descended on a Palestinian olive harvest. Some allegedly threw stones using slingshots, while masked men assaulted Levine as she covered the harvest.

The American journalist was taken to hospital and underwent surgery on a finger injured during the attack. She later said her attackers wore masks and tzitzit tassels.

On Saturday, masked settlers attacked French, Belgian and Polish diplomats and a French mayor in another part of the West Bank. A Belgian diplomatic vehicle was also damaged during the incident.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and the military blamed Israeli rioters for the attack on the diplomats. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a more cautious position.

Netanyahu said the diplomats had entered a sensitive area with a history of confrontations without coordinating their visit with the military. He also said the circumstances surrounding the assault on Levine remained unclear.

His response came as his religious-nationalist governing coalition faced the prospect of losing its parliamentary majority in the October 27 election.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog apologized for the attack on Levine, saying the violent perpetrators did not represent Israel's values.

Settler violence against Palestinians has increased sharply. Israeli human rights group Yesh Din reported at least 170 attacks since September 27. Journalists, Israeli activists and foreign observers have also been targeted.

The arrests followed mounting international pressure on Israel to prevent further attacks and ensure those responsible face legal consequences. However, it remains uncertain whether the investigation will lead to prosecutions, given the historically low number of cases brought against violent Israeli settlers.