- Israel has opened polling stations for its first national legislative elections since the 7 October 2023 terror attacks, serving as a public referendum on the government's handling of the security crisis and subsequent regional conflicts.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a fierce challenge to his 19-year tenure from centrist candidate and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, with 60 per cent of betters on prediction market Polymarket backing centrist challenger Gadi Eisenkot to become the next premier.
- Meanwhile, polls indicate a close race that may leave neither main coalition with an immediate 61-seat majority, despite US President Donald Trump offering his backing to Mr Netanyahu ahead of the vote.
- The Israel Defence Forces have established over 850 military polling stations, including mobile units in active operational zones across Gaza, southern Lebanon, southwestern Syria, and the West Bank to allow troops to vote.
- Voter turnout was at 44.9 per cent in Israel by 2pm, becoming the highest ever recorded turnout at this hour. By 2pm in the 2022 elections, voter turnout sat at 38.9 per cent, while the previous record was set in 1988, with a turnout of 42.2 per cent.
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