The anonymous thief wanted to get a weight off his chest in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday to face charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in connection to a series of scandals.

Countries across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe announced dozens of measures overnight -- including new travel restrictions, curfews and closures to stymie the spread a new virus.

With nearly all the votes counted, Likud led the way with 36 seats followed by Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White party, with 33 seats. The Joint List, an umbrella group of Arab-led parties, finished third with 15 seats, an all-time high for them.

Exit polls from Israel's third election in under a year showed Netanyahu winning 60 seats, while his rival, Benny Gantz, was projected to win 52-54 seats.

Israelis were voting Monday in the country’s unprecedented third election in less than a year to decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power despite his upcoming criminal trial on corruption charges.

After two inconclusive elections last year, opinion polls forecast another stalemate — a troubling scenario for Netanyahu who will go on trial on corruption charges just two weeks after Monday’s vote.

After failing to secure parliamentary immunity last month, insiders had speculated that Netanyahu would attempt to pass alternative legislation if he secures a parliamentary majority.

In a short statement, the Iranian-backed group said it had completed its "retaliation" for Israel's killing of three members. But it said it would respond to any further Israeli "aggression."

A Syrian military statement reported an Israeli attack near Damascus International Airport and said its air defences confronted Israeli rockets coming from the direction of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.