Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu announces his re-election bid.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who holds the record for the longest-serving leader in Israeli history, has led the country through three years of conflict on multiple fronts. He is also currently on trial for corruption.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to run in the elections scheduled for later this year. The announcement comes amid domestic criticism of his wartime leadership.
"I will run for election and I am determined to win," the veteran leader declared in a televised press conference. This was Netanyahu's first speech after Washington and Tehran reached an agreement to end the conflict in the Middle East.
Many Israeli politicians from different political leanings have criticized the agreement between the US and Iran, arguing that it does not adequately protect Israel's interests.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, one of the leading candidates in the upcoming election, described this as a "dangerous turning point for Israel's security."
Earlier in June, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party confirmed that the 76-year-old leader would seek re-election in the election expected to be held before the end of October.
This announcement comes after US President Donald Trump publicly questioned Netanyahu's ability to run for re-election.
Netanyahu has served as Prime Minister of Israel for nearly two decades across several terms, and has also faced some health issues recently.
Earlier this year, he revealed that surgeons had successfully removed an early-stage malignant tumor, which he described as "small," from his prostate gland.
In recent months, he has faced increasingly harsh criticism from opposition leaders, who accuse him of failing to achieve the war objectives he set out after the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.
