Israeli election: Likud secures 65 seats with 85 per cent of votes counted

The Central Elections Committee said that voter turnout was 71.3 per cent, which is the highest since 2015.

Channel 12’s exit poll projected that Netanyahu will be able to form a narrow majority with his Likud and right-wing allied parties, putting the bloc on 61 seats, and Lapid's big tent coalition on 55 seats.

The exit polls from both Channel 13 and the Kan public broadcaster both projected Netanyahu winning 62 seats, with Lapid claiming just 54.

However, the final outcome has been different a number of times in the past, and neither leader rushed to concede or claim victory after the exit polls were announced.

Netanyahu said: "It’s a good start, that’s all I can say right now. It depends on the real count.”

Netanyahu's Likud party had already started making claims of voter fraud, saying in a statement: "Likud warns of a wide-scale effort to violently forge the election results."

The claims were reportedly made as exit polls showed the Arab nationalist Balad party's vote had put them just short of the minimum vote threshold to be eligible for seats in the Knesset. If the party does cross the threshold, it would likely take four seats, which would leave both sides short of a majority.

The Central Elections Committee responded to Likud's claim, saying in a statement: "Given that the counting [of votes] has just begun, there is definitely no basis for unfounded rumors about supposed ‘forgeries’ in one community or another."

The election was not entirely smooth-sailing, with a polling station in the central city of Beit Shemesh closed and moved to a new location first thing this morning after extremists sprayed a foul-smelling liquid in what appeared to be an attempt to discourage voting.

Also, several incidents of violence at polling stations were reported. In Taibe, a city in central Israel, there were reports of furniture being thrown, and in northern Israel, in the suburbs of Haifa, one voter reportedly threatened an official.

Additionally it was reported that in Carmiel, northern Israel, and in Rehovot, central Israel, a number of people were violent towards election committee members, requiring police intervention.

Police were also stationed at polling booths at several polling stations in the northern Druze town of Yarka after reports of irregularities, and voting continued as normal.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid started the day by visiting the grave of his father, who was a cabinet minister and journalist.

He then voted near his home in Tel Aviv and invoked the name of his party Yesh Atid ("There is a future"), saying: “Go and vote today for the future of our children and the future of our country. Vote well and good luck to us all."

Accompanied by his wife, Sara, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu voted in Jerusalem and urged the public to exercise their “great privilege" of casting a ballot.

He added that he was worried about high turnout in "left-wing" areas, but added that he hoped to “end the day with a smile," The Times of Israel reported.

Also casting his ballot in Jerusalem was President Isaac Herzog, who said: “This is a thriving democracy with a multitude of voices. We should always respect this enormous right that we have, as there are so many nations and billions of human beings who unfortunately do not enjoy this right.

"Voting makes a difference without a shadow of a doubt. Anyone who thinks that his or her vote doesn’t matter is wrong," he added.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister and National Unity party leader Benny Gantz encouraged voters to choose the best party, rather than the largest. He is seen as the third potential prime minister after Netanyahu and Lapid.

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