Thank you for joining our live coverage as Israelis vote in the national election.
Voting opened at 7am on Tuesday (4pm AEDT) and will close at 10pm (Wednesday, 7am AEDT).
It is the first time the country has gone to the polls since the October 7 attacks that shook Israel and plunged the Middle East into turmoil.
Among some, it is viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the country's most dominant politician for nearly two decades.
A poor showing could end the 77-year-old's lengthy career on a bitter note and open the door to a new era in Israeli politics. A victory would cement his image as the ultimate political survivor.
While opinion polls suggest a clear defeat for Netanyahu, Israel's fragmented political system often produces surprises, and coalition negotiations can mean a final outcome is not known for days or even weeks.
SBS News will be live blogging the election from 5.30am AEDT, bringing you the latest developments, key results, expert analysis and reaction.
In the meantime, you can catch up on some of our recent coverage:
We look forward to having you with us.
— David Aidone, with the Associated Press and Reuters news agencies.
