Israel votes to end Netanyahu's rule after three years of war

Israelis cast ballots on Tuesday to determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue leading the country after three years of conflict.

The election is the first national vote since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza and related regional conflicts.

Netanyahu faces a fragmented opposition, with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot emerging as the primary rival in opinion polls.

The race is expected to be tight, with no single party likely to secure an outright parliamentary majority, a common occurrence in Israel's political system.

Arab-led parties, which are pushing for high turnout, may become the deciding factor if neither side gains enough support to form a government.

This could lead to weeks of coalition negotiations before a new prime minister is declared.

Tensions with Iran loom large over the vote, as Netanyahu warned Tehran of a "devastating blow" if it attacks Israel, a threat he made while standing beside a missile-defense battery earlier this week.

Emotions ran high in some areas as polls opened; in Kiryat Shmona, a Netanyahu stronghold near the Lebanese border, one man tore down a poster of Eisenkot.

Families of victims from the October 7 attack held a moment of silence in Tel Aviv before voting, with one mother, Yona Adam, urging voters to "Remember all those whose voices are no more."

The vote also addresses the direction of the state, pitting Netanyahu's religious and ultranationalist coalition against parties advocating for liberal and secular values.

Israel has faced growing international criticism over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, where settler violence has increased, leading to sanctions from European partners and a drop in American public support.

Netanyahu's backers view him as a steady leader who protected Israel's Jewish identity and checked an interventionist judiciary, while his critics argue he prolonged the war for political gain and weakened democratic institutions, including by allowing ultra-Orthodox men to avoid military service.