Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, Benny Gantz, have both vowed to lead Israel’s next government, despite early results and exit polls appearing to show neither had a clear path to form a coalition.

An inconclusive result from the country’s second election this year could plunge Israel further into political mayhem, with the prospect of weeks of tense political deal-making or even a third vote.

With 62% of the vote counted, official results put the opposition Blue and White party on 25.66% and rivals Likud on 25.03% with a total of 25,000 actual votes between them.

Israeli news outlets, citing sources within the country’s elections committee, reported that around 90% of votes had been counted and showed a dead heat with the two main parties at 32 seats in the Knesset each, below the 61 needed to secure a parliamentary majority.

With both Netanyahu and Gantz almost certainly requiring support from smaller parties to form a government, minor differences in official results could significantly alter the outcome of the vote. A large turnout from Israel’s Arab minority could also impact the result.

Netanyahu has sought to extend his record-breaking time as prime minister by forging alliances with hardline religious politicians and appealing to far-right ultra-nationalists.

In a 3.30am speech to his party in Tel Aviv, the sullen-looking prime minister spoke on stage in a hoarse voice, after spending the day rallying his supporters with a megaphone.

“In the next few days, we will begin negotiations to form a strong, Zionist government and in order to avert a dangerous, anti-Zionist government,” he said.

Also speaking overnight, Gantz called for a unity government with members of Netanyahu’s Likud party but not the leader himself. “We will act to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people,” he told supporters at a post-election rally in Tel Aviv. He however cautioned that he was waiting for final results.