Israel holds parliamentary elections on Tuesday, 27 October, under heightened security, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran and its proxy groups could try to disrupt the vote. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s live blog reported the warning on 25 October, two days before Israelis go to the polls.

Drills and a West Bank closure

The Israeli military has staged a large exercise aimed at protecting the borders, described by a former defence ministry researcher as the biggest in recent years, with the stated aim of making sure election day runs smoothly. Separately, Israel is to close West Bank crossings on election day, extending restrictions on Palestinian workers, following an attack on soldiers near Hebron. One regional digest reported about 2,000 people displaced in the ensuing operation, citing local reports.

The wider regional backdrop

The vote comes as the nearly eight-month-old regional conflict triggered by the Iran war continues to shape the region, and as Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian prepares to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, according to Iranian media. Tehran staged its own live-fire display days earlier, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps firing roughly 30 ballistic missiles across two weapon classes, according to reports cited by Fox News.

What to watch on Tuesday

The election is the first since the war began in February, and the security operation around it is itself part of the campaign: Netanyahu has framed the vote as a test of resilience, while his critics argue the conflict has defined his government. Results, and any disruption on the day, will show whether the warnings were precaution or prelude.