Likud Primary Elections and Border Tensions in Lebanon and Gaza

Ahead of the October 27 general election, the Likud party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, is preparing for a high-stakes primary to select part of its Knesset slate. Tal Schneider, political correspondent for The Times of Israel, described the contest as intensely competitive. According to a recent Zman Yisrael poll, Gadi Eisenkot’s 'Yashar' party holds a four-seat lead over Likud, though the anti-Netanyahu bloc still struggles to secure a Knesset majority. Schneider noted that Eisenkot might nonetheless aim to form a minority government. Regarding security, following the severe wounding of three IDF soldiers by a Hezbollah drone in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the unusual move of announcing the incident in English during Shabbat. Schneider stated that this was intended to ensure the US administration understood the gravity of the ceasefire violation.