Benjamin Netanyahu will seek re-election this year, his party Likud said on Wednesday, moving quickly to end speculation after President Donald Trump said he was unsure whether the Israeli prime minister would run again.
In a brief statement shared with Reuters, Likud said Netanyahu would stand in the election and, God willing, would win. The election has not yet been formally announced but must be held by October.
Earlier, ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl posted on X that Trump had told him he did not know if Netanyahu would seek another term. Karl quoted Trump as saying, "I don't know, he's had an amazing career. Does he want to continue?"
The vote will be Israel's first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack, the country's worst security failure, which triggered Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu has faced a turbulent term since returning to power in December 2022, leading the most right-wing coalition in Israeli history. He faced mass anti-government protests before the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
Polls have repeatedly shown his coalition would struggle to win a majority in the next election. A June 9 survey by the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute found that 61% of Israelis believe Netanyahu should not run again.
Still, opposition parties face their own challenge. Polling suggests an anti-Netanyahu bloc could fall short of a parliamentary majority unless it forms a coalition with Arab parties, an option some opposition leaders have rejected.
U.S. and Israeli officials say Trump and Netanyahu, who launched the Iran war together in February, still have a close relationship, though recent weeks have exposed strains. Trump has pushed Israel to curb military action in Lebanon while Washington negotiates a peace deal with Tehran.
Last week, Trump acknowledged calling Netanyahu "crazy" during a heated phone call, while also saying the two leaders get along well. Trump has also repeatedly urged Israel's president to pardon Netanyahu in corruption cases that the prime minister denies.
