Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques, torched vehicles and damaged agricultural land in the occupied West Bank overnight, Palestinian officials said, in the latest surge of violence.

The attacks came two days after clashes near the village of Tal killed four Palestinians and two Israelis, with both sides blaming each other for triggering the violence.

According to Palestinian officials, settlers raided at least two villages overnight, vandalising property, stealing belongings and spray-painting anti-Arab graffiti on buildings.

In the village of Qusra, Mayor Abdul Azim Wadi said settlers set fire to a mosque that was still under construction and sprayed the word “revenge” on its walls.

In a separate incident, Palestinian authorities said another mosque in the nearby village of Kour was also set ablaze, with similar slogans painted on its walls.

The Israeli military said troops had been deployed to Qusra following the incident and that police had opened an investigation and were collecting evidence.

Palestinians say settler attacks have intensified across several West Bank communities since Friday’s deadly violence in Tal, fuelling fears of further escalation.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it had arrested more than 130 people during weekend raids as part of what it described as a counterterrorism operation across the occupied territory.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take “powerful action” following the killings in Tal, including the possible demolition of the homes of two Palestinians allegedly involved in the attack.

Residents of nearby Sarra said settlers also torched at least six homes during recent attacks, forcing families to flee as buildings burned.

One resident, Hanan Turabi, said she escaped with her four children after groups of settlers descended on the village, throwing stones and setting homes ablaze.

“They came from everywhere,” she said. “We tried to escape, but they followed us and threw stones.”

Another resident, Kaied Ahmad Turabi, who was visiting family from the United States, said he was injured while trying to defend a neighbour’s home.

He said the attackers arrived armed with sticks and other weapons and appeared prepared for violence.

Hours after the attack, tensions remained high as dozens of Palestinian residents gathered to defend their village while Israeli soldiers moved in to separate the two sides.

Troops later used tear gas to disperse Palestinians as settlers withdrew from the area.

The Israeli military said it was working to prevent what it described as “nationalist crime” by extremist settlers.

Despite repeated public condemnations of settler violence by Israeli leaders, rights groups have accused the government of encouraging the rapid expansion of settlement outposts, which they say has fuelled attacks on Palestinians.

Following the killings in Tal, Netanyahu announced plans to accelerate the establishment and legalisation of additional farming outposts in the West Bank, with residents reporting that new outposts have already appeared in the area.

Violence intensified dramatically across the Israeli-occupied West Bank after the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, drawing international condemnation.

According to the United Nations, more than 1,100 Palestinians lost their lives during the period, with the vast majority killed in Israeli military operations.

In addition, at least 35 people have died in attacks carried out by Israeli settlers.

At the same time, Israel has continued expanding illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Around 700,000 Jewish settlers now live in hundreds of settlements built on land captured in the 1967 Middle East war, which the international community considers illegal under international law.

The settlements are considered illegal under international law.

Around 3.3 million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank.