Likud celebrations, counting after Israel exit polls

Likud supporters celebrated in Tel Aviv on Monday as exit polls indicated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a solid edge over his main rival in the country's third election in under a year.

But it is unclear whether Netanyahu can clinch a parliamentary majority needed to claim victory.

Exit polls on Israel's main TV channels projected Netanyahu's Likud Party and its religious and nationalist allies would capture 60 seats, leaving it one seat short of the majority needed to claim victory.

If final results give Netanyahu a parliamentary majority, it would pave the way for a new term and give him a boost as he prepares to go on trial for corruption charges.

But if he falls short, the country's year-long political deadlock will continue, and the country could potentially face a fourth consecutive election.

Israeli exit polls are often imprecise and final results could change.

Official results are expected to come in throughout the night.