Netanyahu's bloc leads Israel election but falls short of majority

Partial results from Israel's general election show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and allies on course for 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, ahead of rival Gadi Eisenkot's bloc at 48. Arab-led parties could win a record 19 seats. Hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots remain uncounted. President Isaac Herzog praised the 77.7% turnout, the highest in over two decades.