Cohen, Levin, Ohana and Regev top Likud primary after 88% of ballots counted | LIVE BLOG
Energy Minister Eli Cohen leads in his race, followed by Yariv Levin, Amir Ohana, Miri Regev, Ofir Katz, and Yoav Kisch
Iran fired two drones into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on Monday, targeting the private office of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and a senior local security official, the region's Counter-Terrorism Service said. The two Hadid-110 explosives-laden drones were launched from the border area with Iran overnight, according to the service. In a statement on X, PM Barzani wrote in part, "This is a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region. These attacks will not deter us from carrying out our duties and protecting our citizens." Monday's strikes are the latest in a series of cross-border attacks that have intensified since the Iran war broke out in late February. Iran and its proxies inside Iraq have regularly targeted US troops and the consulate in Erbil, as well as infrastructure in the region. However, Iran does not take responsibility for this attack. Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attack, calling it a "false-flag ploy."
Meanwhile, Iran has moved from a defensive to a "fully offensive" policy toward US, setting a deadline for full MoU implementation, according to officials who spoke with Reuters. This comes as the 60-day window for negotiations between the two sides expired on Monday, during a period where the two sides were supposed to reach a broader agreement on Hormuz and nuclear power. READ MORE FROM MONDAY
According to Syrian reports Israeli jets hit Abu al-Duhur Air Base in eastern Idlib, Syria with four airstrikes overnight
Ofir Katz, Yoav Kisch, Almog Cohen, Amichai Chikli, and David Amsalem are also among the highest-ranked candidates. MP Tally Gotliv was in twelfth place at the previous count, despite polls suggesting she would be ranked higher
The final ranking is of particular importance, as the candidates’ positions on the Likud list will determine their chances of entering the Knesset in the upcoming legislative elections
Taking the reserved seats into account, only 16 rows at most would be considered truly eligible. The Minister of Economy, Nir Barkat, currently occupies the last of these positions
80% of the Likud party primary ballots have been counted
Amir Ohana moved to the second place. Nir Barkat is in the last realistic place right now