The Latest: As votes are counted, no clear winner emerges in Israel's election

Votes were being counted as dawn broke in Israel on Wednesday morning, but exit polls suggested that its momentous national election left no clear winner.

That likely meant the beginning of weeks of wrangling among parties to form a governing coalition and declare a new prime minister. In the meantime, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains as interim caretaker head of the government.

Exit polls released by major Israeli TV stations right after polls closed on Tuesday night and revised overnight indicated that neither Netanyahu’s political bloc nor that of his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats needed for a majority in the parliament, known as the Knesset.

Israelis vote for parties, which then form alliances to create a majority coalition. No single party has ever won a majority.

But the inconclusive result comes as the country remains deeply divided over Netanyahu's leadership and scarred by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the wars that have since shaken the Middle East.

Here is the latest:

The counts from Israel’s Central Elections Committee kept coming in early Wednesday morning. The results are still partial as more voting stations are counted.

With around 40% of ballots counted, it reported 21.70% of the vote went to Likud, the party led by Netanyahu, who's Israel's longest-serving prime minister, and 15.72% to Yashar, the party led by Eisenkot. The count does not indicate how many seats each party will win in the parliament.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday disputed the notion that Netanyahu may be heading toward defeat as exit polls indicated no clear winner in Israel’s elections.

“I’m hearing that he did very well,” he told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, after returning from a pair of campaign rallies in Texas. “I actually heard he did pretty well.”

Trump cautioned that it was a “little bit early” and said he has not yet spoken with Netanyahu about the results. Trump endorsed Netanyahu late in the campaign, while Netanyahu stressed his close ties with the White House in his election night speech.

Addressing exuberant supporters past 3 a.m. Wednesday morning in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that exit polls indicate his Likud will be the largest party in the next parliament. He listed Israel’s military accomplishments over the past three years and pledged to finish the job against Iran’s regime.

In a message aimed at his rivals, he said no government should be formed that relies on Arab parties.

Arab-led parties had a strong showing in Tuesday’s election and could be kingmakers if, as exit polls indicate, Netanyahu’s bloc and his opponents are tied and both unable to form governing coalitions.

In a sign of the uncertainty ahead, the mood at both Eisenkot and Netanyahu’s headquarters was celebratory. In a speech early Wednesday in Tel Aviv that focused on national unity, Eisenkot pledged to form a government and promised “a new era — an era of hope” for Israelis.

“Today, Israel went out to a referendum over the leadership that will lead Israel in the coming years,” Eisenkot said to cheers from supporters. “The people decided in favor of change.”

Voters cast their ballots at a polling station during Israel's general election in Jerusalem Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Israeli settlers line up to vote at a school serving as a polling station during Israel's general election in the settlement of Kiryat Arba, in the occupied West Bank, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

People wave flags as they wade in a reflecting pool to celebrate early exit poll results for Israel's general election in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, waves an Israeli flag after the release of the first exit poll results in Israel's general election in Tel Aviv, Israel, early Wednesday , Oct. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by his wife, Sara, waves to supporters at Likud party headquarters in Jerusalem after the release of the first exit poll results in Israel's general election, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A U.S. cruise ship on a residential world voyage suspended its operations in Cambodia due to fuel costs, forcing hundreds of passengers to abandon their floating homes.

The Odyssey set sail two years ago on a three-year voyage to the seven continents marketed as combining long-term living at sea with global travel.

The Florida-based company said monthly fuel expenses per cabin that historically averaged $1,800 has recently reached an estimated $6,000 to $8,000 in parts of Asia during the war in Iran. Villa Vie Residences said it sought to reduce fuel consumption by slowing the itinerary and spending more time in port, but was unable to offset the surge in fuel costs.

“We have been unable to continue carrying the resulting operating losses,” it said. “Passing the full increase on to residents is not a realistic solution. Our focus now is on supporting residents, crew, and employees" while it tries to restructure.

Sihanoukville Autonomous Port said in a statement last week that the ship docked on Oct. 23 for a five-day visit. It was to head to Vietnam but remained in the port Wednesday.

The ship carried 203 passengers with 15 nationalities, mostly Americans, and 156 crew members. It had a capacity of 650 residents.

Passengers have been told to leave the ship, but the crew's status was unclear.

The Odyssey had a confirmed itinerary into November 2027. The company planned for a second residential cruise ship to enter service in early 2029, but the statement on the suspension of the Odyssey's voyage did not address the second ship.

This version has corrected the date when the voyage was expected to end from 2030 to 2027.

FILE - The Odyssey, a U.S. cruise liner operated by Villa Vie Residences is docked at Harland & Wolf ship repair facility in Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, on Aug. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File)