With the clock winding down, Netanyahu secures a coalition

Less than two hours before the deadline was set to expire on Wednesday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hammered out a deal with Jewish Home party leader Naftali Bennett, allowing him to inform President Reuven Rivlin that he has successfully cobbled together a 61-seat coalition -- the minimal number required for a Knesset majority.

The leaders were set to make a joint statement announcing the deal, just before the end of the final day allocated to the Likud leader to form a government, reports Times of Israeli.

Netanyahu heads toward the president's official residence in Jerusalem just after making the announcement, where he would be granted until Wednesday to swear in his newly formed cabinet.