Israel election exit polls show no clear winner as Likud leads and opposition bloc edges ahead

Exit polls from Israel's first national election since the 7 October 2023 attack show Likud as the largest party with about 24-25 seats. Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc is projected at 52-53 seats against 50 for Netanyahu's bloc, and neither reaches the 61 needed to govern. Record turnout, strong Arab-Israeli participation and Likud's early fraud claims point to a deeply divided country, with Netanyahu also threatening renewed war on Iran. Coalition deadlock would shape who steers Israel's decisions on war and regional security, though the exit polls are not final results.