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JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli forces shot dead at least one Palestinian during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday that led to confrontations with local residents, Palestinian health officials said.

The Israeli military could not immediately confirm the death but said it was looking into the report.

In a statement, the military said its troops had entered the Palestinian city of Nablus to locate an assailant who fatally stabbed an Israeli man at the entrance to the Jewish settlement of Ariel in the West Bank on Monday.

“During the activity a violent riot was instigated as approximately 500 Palestinians hurled rocks, firebombs and explosive devices and fired live rounds at IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldiers, and in addition the rioters built rock barriers,” a military statement said.

The troops “responded with riot dispersal means and fired warning shots in the air,” it said. “A report regarding a Palestinian being killed and several injured... is being reviewed”.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said one Palestinian was killed and 29 others were wounded by Israeli gunfire. The Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance service said stone-throwers had clashed with the soldiers.

The alleged attacker is an Arab citizen of Israel and the reports said his father is a Nablus resident. The military said the suspect was not apprehended in the operation and seven people were detained for questioning.

Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian gunman in the West Bank village of Yamoun and said he was the head of a militant cell responsible for an ambush in which a Jewish settler was shot dead on Jan. 9.

Israel had been looking for the final member of the cell which it said killed Rabbi Raziel Shevah in a drive-by shooting. Commandos had already killed one of the gunmen involved and captured another.