A row over mandatory military service for ultra-Orthodox men has left the prime minister’s ruling coalition with a razor-thin majority.

On Tuesday, the Agudat Yisrael Party, along with its partner Degel HaTorah – forming the United Torah Judaism alliance – also withdrew from the government over the same issue. Their departure left the coalition with just 61 seats in the Knesset, the minimum needed to maintain power.

Shas party quits Cabinet over no future exemption to religious students from military conscription. It leaves Netanyahu's coalition with just 50 seats in 120-member parliament.