Live: Netanyahu's bloc still ahead on 54 seats, lead for rival alliance rises to 49

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said the Iran-backed group would continue its “resistance” against Israel regardless of the outcome of the country’s election, insisting that Israel must end its occupation of Lebanese territory.

“We do not concern ourselves with who governs Israel, but let it be perfectly clear that it cannot continue its occupation and must leave our land,” Qassem said in a written statement.

“The resistance will continue… and will stand up to the aggression directed against it and against Lebanon, and there is no room to discuss the disarmament” of Hezbollah “as long as the occupation persists and its aggression continues,” he added.

Hezbollah, once a dominant force in Lebanese politics, has been weakened by two wars with Israel since 2023.

Yair Golan, leader of Israel's Democrats party, has said Ra'am could join the next governing coalition as opposition parties explore ways to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Mansour Abbas (leader of Ra'am) could be part of the next coalition. I see no issue with that. After all, Netanyahu himself wanted him in a coalition," Golan told Israel's Channel 12, referring to Netanyahu's previous willingness to negotiate with the Arab-led party.

Golan included Arab-led parties in the opposition bloc, saying it held 67 seats against 53 for Netanyahu's bloc. He urged opposition leaders to move towards forming a new government.

"The bloc opposing Netanyahu holds 67 seats, while Netanyahu has only 53. I believe that right now, we must declare that we are going to form a new government and a new coalition," he said.

Ahmad Tibi, a senior Arab political leader in Israel, has offered to support the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot in an effort to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"If they want us to help, we will be there in order to help," Tibi, head of the Joint List’s parliamentary bloc, told CNN. "We want to support the candidate of the opposition. It is important. It should be done."

Tibi said his party did not seek to join an Eisenkot-led government or secure ministerial positions. Instead, he said, it wanted commitments to tackle crime in Arab communities and halt the demolition of Bedouin homes, which he said had increased under Netanyahu’s government. The Joint List and Ra’am, another Arab-majority party, are projected to win a combined 19 seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament.

US President Donald Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in “pretty good shape” after partial election results were released, claiming his endorsement had helped Netanyahu.

“I heard my endorsement made a big difference for Bibi,” Trump told Axios, using the Israeli leader’s nickname.

Trump said he had not yet considered getting involved in efforts to form a Netanyahu-led government. “I will take a look,” he said.

Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has demanded a police and Shin Bet investigation into alleged voter fraud and intimidation, claiming Israel's election was "stolen" by Arab-led parties.

"The elections in Israel were stolen by Arab parties that support terror and the elimination of the Jewish state through serious criminal offenses of bribery, threats, violence, forgeries and the use of illegal software to mobilize voters," Likud said in a statement.

Arab-led parties Ra'am and the Joint List secured a record number of votes and are projected to win a combined 19 seats in the Knesset. Their gains could leave both Netanyahu's bloc and the Jewish-led opposition short of the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

The European Union is ready for a “frank and open dialogue” with Israel’s next government following the country’s election, the bloc’s foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

“The European Union looks forward to engaging with the next government … on the basis of our long-standing relationship and commitment to democratic principles and common values,” he told reporters.

Up to 480,000 special ballots cast by soldiers, police personnel, diplomats and other voters could influence Israel’s election outcome, with both major political blocs falling short of a parliamentary majority. According to The Times of Israel, the Central Elections Committee (CEC) estimates that between 430,000 and 480,000 “double-envelope” ballots were cast, fewer than the roughly 600,000 previously reported. The votes are counted separately after officials verify that voters have not already cast ballots elsewhere.

The full count is expected on Thursday afternoon, with the final official results due on November 4.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc currently holds 53 seats, while the Jewish-led opposition has 48. Both remain short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has urged political parties to keep an open mind during coalition negotiations and do everything possible to prevent another election, after the latest vote left no clear path for either bloc to form a government.

"We must do everything we can, certainly after yesterday, to avoid another round of elections. So I expect everyone who comes here to come with an open mind," Herzog said during a gathering at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.

Herzog said he expected to receive the official election results next week from Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg. He will then begin consultations with representatives of each Knesset faction as part of the process of forming a new government.

The president also praised the exceptionally high voter turnout, describing it as a "badge of honor for Israeli society". He said the participation reflected the depth of Israelis' "desire for democracy".

The Palestinian-Jewish activist movement Standing Together has launched a petition urging Israel's Jewish-led opposition parties to join forces with Arab-led lists to form a government of change.

"This is the need of the hour – to translate the Jewish-Arab majority that voted for change into a Jewish-Arab government of change," the movement said in a post on X.

Standing Together said the key question was whether opposition leaders would work with Arab citizens and their representatives in the Knesset, Israel's parliament. The movement called on opposition leaders Eizenkot, Bennett, Jabarin, Lapid, Golan, Abbas and Lieberman to back the proposed alliance.

Israeli lawmaker Sharren Haskel has called for a government that excludes Arab-led parties, declaring it should be formed "without the Arabs" while blaming far-right leaders for boosting their support. In a post on X, the Israel First party leader accused Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich of driving Palestinian citizens of Israel towards what she called "anti-Zionist parties".

Haskel called for a “broad national government” uniting rival Jewish parties while excluding both Arab-led and ultra-Orthodox parties.

She founded Israel First in July after resigning as deputy foreign minister over legislation freezing arrests of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who refused military service. The party advocates a Zionist unity government independent of both political blocs.

Arab media outlets have portrayed Israel’s inconclusive election as a test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political survival, highlighting strong Arab voter turnout and gains by Arab-led parties. Newspapers across the region described the results as a surprise, while cautioning that weakening Netanyahu’s bloc does not guarantee an alternative government. Coverage also highlighted increased Palestinian representation within Israel and allegations of intimidation targeting Arab voters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party has emerged as the largest party in several communities severely affected by the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and subsequent wars. Northern towns, including Kiryat Shmona, Shlomi, Avivim and Dovev, recorded strong support for Likud. In the south, Sderot and Ofakim also backed the party, with nearly 48% of Kiryat Shmona’s votes and 39% of Sderot’s going to Likud, according to partial results.

With 84.5% of ballots counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 54 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc has 49. Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, are projected to secure 17 seats. Several smaller parties remain below the 3.25% electoral threshold. The results remain provisional, with additional votes still to be counted.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any Israeli-instigated military action in the Persian Gulf could severely disrupt global markets, raising concerns among gas suppliers and consumers. His remarks come as the United States and Israel have signalled the possibility of renewed strikes on Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel could work with US President Donald Trump to address what he calls the existential threat posed by Iran.

Democrats MK Gilad Kariv said Israel had entered a “different political reality” after the 2026 Knesset elections, arguing that the right-wing coalition had lost seats and might struggle to form a government. He urged the strengthened opposition, including Arab parties, to cooperate, saying a substantial majority voted against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

More than 70 per cent of votes have been counted in Israel’s parliamentary elections, with no bloc appearing likely to secure a majority. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 54 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc has 47. Arab-led parties have increased their projected tally to 19 seats. A minimum of 61 seats is required to form a majority government in the 120-member Knesset. The results remain provisional.

Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen said his faction was ready to help remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Partial results showed Arab-led parties projected to win 19 Knesset seats, potentially giving them a decisive role in forming Israel’s next government amid a divided political landscape.

With about 72% of votes counted in Israel’s closely contested election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc stands at 54 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is at 48. Arab parties were projected to win 18 seats, according to partial results from the Central Elections Committee.

Among individual parties, Likud was projected to win 27 seats, Yashar 21, the Joint List 12, Together 11, the Democrats 8 and Ra’am 6.

No bloc has neared the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Israeli governments are formed through coalition agreements between parties, as no single party has ever won a parliamentary majority.

With 66.2% of ballot boxes counted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc was leading with 56 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Yashar’s Gadi Eisenkot had 48, according to official data reported by the Times of Israel.

Arab parties are projected to win 16 seats. None of the blocs have secured the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

The results remain partial and could change as counting continues, leaving the election too close to determine who will form the next government.

Turnout among Israeli military personnel reached 79.9%, up 6.2 percentage points from the 2022 elections, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Conscripts, career soldiers and reservists began voting a week ago at polling stations across military bases and combat zones, including army posts in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria. Voting ended at 10 pm on Tuesday.

The IDF said 809 polling stations were deployed across bases and combat zones. The military does not disclose the actual number of votes cast by soldiers due to security concerns.