Israeli soldiers have begun voting in the 2026 national elections, less than a week before the rest of the country is expected to cast their ballot. Around 850 polling stations have been deployed across Israel to facilitate this early voting, ensuring soldiers are able to remain in remote locations both in Israel and occupied parts of the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria. The election will officially be held in October 27 to elect the 26th Knesset. It will be the first election since the Gaza war and genocide began in 2023, and the first since the recent wars against Iran and Lebanon. Netanyahu is seeking re-election in his Likud party-led right-wing coalition, but current polls indicate a tight race between them and the opposition bloc, with no clear projected winner at this time.