Overview
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using his long‑standing security campaign playbook to present himself as the only candidate who can keep Israel safe.
- He publicly warned of indications that opponents could try to attack before the election, then held a defense consultation and instructed his military secretary to brief opposition leader Yair Lapid.
- Polls forecast substantial losses for Likud, and analysts say Netanyahu may aim to prevent an alternative coalition and force a parliamentary stalemate that could leave him in power or as interim prime minister.
- His security credentials were badly damaged by the 2023 surprise Hamas attack, a weakness opponents use to challenge his protector narrative and to demand probes of alleged pre‑attack warnings.
- Israel's military campaign in Gaza and contested reporting about pre‑October warnings have deepened diplomatic isolation and raised questions about accountability that could shape voter decisions and foreign ties.