The exit polls apparently interviewed left-wing voters as they left the polls - which is confirmation bias.
About 57% of the vote is in as of 2:00 AM and its gonna be a long night.
Panic in the Likud was overwrought. The polls for the last two weeks were right on the mark that the Likud would stabilize around 34-35 seats.
Will still be interesting to see if he reaches out to Lapid. Lapid+Bennett and he wouldn’t need the religious parties. Although he’d have two young guys clearly angling for the top post someday soon. But it may be better to have both of them close and under his control that have Lapid out there freelancing in the opposition. Plus, Shas and UTJ are more natural Likud allies and the party will definitely need them in future knessests, you don’t want to permanently alienate them.
A wider coalition with Lapid and possibly Livni may be more stable and could be the statesmanlike act Bibi seems to go for.
Will be interesting to see what he ends up doing.