Doubted by Trump, Netanyahu Confirms He Will Run Again in Israeli Elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will run for re-election in Israel’s national elections. The decision was announced by the Likud party, the right-wing party led by Netanyahu.

According to AFP on Wednesday (10/06/2026), the announcement followed US President Donald Trump openly questioning whether the 76-year-old would stand for election.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving Prime Minister, has led his country through three years of war. He is currently on trial facing corruption charges.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu will run in the next election and, God willing (Insha Allah), he will win,” the party stated on Telegram.

The declaration emerged after Trump told ABC News that he was uncertain of Netanyahu’s intentions.

“I don’t know, he has had an incredible career. Does he want to continue?” Trump said.

“Because, you know, he is a prime minister during wartime,” he added.

Netanyahu had previously indicated he would seek re-election in the polls scheduled for late October. He has served as Prime Minister for nearly two decades across several terms.

Trump’s remarks followed a disagreement between the two leaders a few days prior, during which the US President lashed out at his close ally in a profanity-laden outburst. Netanyahu, conversely, downplayed the exchange during an appearance on CNBC.

Netanyahu’s political future is shadowed not only by tensions with Washington but also by a series of health issues.

He recently revealed that surgeons had successfully removed what he described as a ‘small, early-stage malignant tumour’ from his prostate.

According to his office, Netanyahu has been hospitalised several times since returning to office in December 2022. In March 2024, he underwent hernia surgery, followed by prostate enlargement surgery in December of the same year.

Netanyahu is currently managing a war on three interconnected fronts. In Gaza, Israel continues military operations against Hamas despite a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.

In Lebanon, Israel is conducting a campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement despite a ceasefire in that region.

Meanwhile, in Iran, Israel has joined its ally, the US, in launching waves of attacks that have killed many of the country’s leaders, triggering a war that has spread across the region.