Supporters of Benjamin Netanyahu chanted 'King of Israel' as he addressed them today, with the veteran politician on the cusp of returning for a third time as Prime Minister - despite being on trial for corruption charges.

As of 8am GMT, 84 percent of the vote in Israel's latest election had been counted. Initial results showed Netanyahu's alliance with the extreme right taking a narrow lead - meaning he could be set for a dramatic comeback.

The margins appear wafer-thin, however, and previous elections have shown that slight adjustments during the count can make or break a government.

As Israel's longest-serving leader seeks to make a comeback, initial results put Netanyahu's right-wing bloc ahead after the country's fifth election in four years.

He has already served five terms: the first from June 1996 to July 1999, and four further terms consecutively from March 2009 and June 2021.

The election has focused largely on Netanyahu's fitness to govern. On trial for a slew of corruption charges, Netanyahu, is seen by supporters as the victim of a witch hunt and vilified by opponents as a crook and threat to democracy.

Netanyahu's fourth and fifth terms were overshadowed by investigations into alleged bribery, fraud and a breach of trust. Israel's Police began investigating him in 2016, and recommended indictments. He was officially indicted in later 2019.