With Over Half the Ballots Counted, Netanyahu's Bloc Projected at 56 Seats but Majority Path Still Unclear

With more than half of the ballots counted in Israel's legislative election, The Times of Israel has projected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc to win 56 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's alliance is projected to win 49.

Even on those projections, however, neither side is likely to secure a clear path to a governing majority.

Several hours after polls closed on Tuesday, Netanyahu addressed supporters at his Likud party headquarters in West Jerusalem. He said a right-wing government must be formed to ensure Israel's long-term security, and that it cannot rely on coalitions with Arab parties 'that are against our existence'.

Netanyahu said the 'true results' were still one or two days away, while acknowledging that Likud was projected to become the 'largest party in Israel'.

According to projections from Israeli Channels 12 and 13, Likud as a single party was on track to win an estimated 27 seats, compared with 21 for Eisenkot's Yashar party, giving Likud a clear lead over all others in the parliament.

In his speech, Netanyahu highlighted his achievements since taking office in his current term from 2022, which he sought to build upon. He claimed his government had eliminated Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah and Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Netanyahu also said security zones had been established deep inside Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and that the Iranian regime had been struck and brought to the edge of the abyss. 'Iran is weaker than ever; Israel is stronger than ever,' he said.

He said Israel had a 'historical opportunity' together with United States President Donald Trump 'to remove the existential threat of Iran once and for all'.

Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli ambassador who served as consul general of Israel in New York City, said the party that secures the most seats may have to seek an uncomfortable coalition deal in order to govern. But he said opposition voters would not want their bloc to strike a deal with Netanyahu's coalition.

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said Netanyahu attempted to put on a 'brave face' about his party's prospects during his speech in Jerusalem. Bishara said Netanyahu is projecting a kind of success he does not merit: first, because he cannot form a coalition, and second, because despite being the largest party, this is the lowest Likud has reached since 2009.

Political analyst Dan Perry told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu used his speech to 'spin the situation as best as he could' after the exit polls were released.