Netanyahu's bloc leads Israeli election but falls short of a majority, partial count shows

With 85% of ballots tallied, the coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is projected to take 53 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. That total leaves the bloc short of the 61 seats needed for a governing majority. Partial results therefore point to a difficult path toward forming a government. The final outcome will depend on the remaining ballots and on how smaller parties and allies position themselves in coalition talks.