Netanyahu outlines achievements and future plans as Likud leads Israeli polls

After polls closed in Israel’s legislative election, Benjamin Netanyahu said a right-wing government was needed to ensure Israel’s long-term security and ruled out relying on Arab parties. With more than half of ballots counted, projections gave Netanyahu’s bloc 56 seats and Gadi Eisenkot’s alliance 49, leaving neither with a clear path to a majority. Likud was projected to win 27 seats, compared with 21 for Eisenkot’s Yashar party, and Netanyahu said final results would take another day or two. He also touted achievements since returning to office in 2022, citing the deaths of leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, and security zones established in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.