Israel’s prime minister has dismissed his finance and justice ministers and declared he wants parliament dissolved, triggering an early general election.

Benjamin Netanyahu said Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni had “harshly attacked” both himself and the coalition government.

Mr Netanyahu explained that he wanted an election held two years early to win “a clear mandate to lead Israel”.

Disagreements over a series of economic and political policies have strained relations within the coalition.

Under Israeli electoral law, voting would probably take place in mid-March if the Knesset were to be dissolved this week.