Israelis voted Tuesday in the country’s first national election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future at stake after three years of war in Gaza and with Iran and deepening international isolation. Polls pointed to a close race between Netanyahu’s Likud party and its right-wing allies and a rival alliance led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, a security hawk drawing support from the right and centre. Netanyahu campaigned on his wartime leadership and his alliance with the US president, who endorsed him, while Eisenkot accused him of campaigning on fear and argued any Israeli leader would enjoy full US cooperation. With neither bloc holding a clear path to a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset, the vote could leave Netanyahu in place as caretaker until another election, and high turnout among Arab voters could tip the coalition arithmetic.

Full report: Netanyahu’s political survival on the line as Israel votes.