Netanyahu makes a comeback as allies appear to have won a majority

Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party and its allies have apparently won at least 61 seats in the Knesset, just enough to claim a majority and allow the nation's longest serving leader to return to office.

Citing exit polls, the Washington Post projects that Netanyahu's coalition, consisting of his own Likud party and several other right-leaning groups, has claimed at least 61 our of the 120 seats of the Israeli legislature, meaning Netanyahu will have the opportunity to try to form a coalition government.

One exit poll projects Likud on track to win 30 seats outright, while their allies in Religious Zionism, Shas, and United Torah Judaism will get 14, 10, and 7, respectively, per Jewish News Syndicate. Other polls showed Likud poised to win at least 31 seats.

Tuesday's contest marks Israel's fourth election in five years after a string of tight elections prompted a "unity government" and a minority government, marked with intermittent disruptions in the ruling coalitions.

Netanyahu left the prime minister's office in 2021 and has led the opposition ever since.