Israel headed for October election as parliament dissolved

Israel's parliament (Knesset) officially dissolved on July 17, 2026, triggering a high-stakes campaign for national elections on October 27. This is the first time since 1988 that a Knesset has completed its full four-year term. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a vote seen as a referendum on his political survival and his wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Ahead of the dissolution, the hardline coalition passed controversial laws on party funding, media regulation, and ultra-Orthodox military exemptions.