Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to face more constraints as Israel’s caretaker prime minister after the election, but experts say his government could still retain significant powers, including when it comes to waging war on Iran, Reuters reports.

If you look at the letter of the law, a caretaker government has the same authority, has the same powers as a regular government, said Guy Lurie, a research fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, adding, however, that a caretaker government has a duty of restraint and more limited discretion to act in some areas.

A caretaker government faces limitations when it comes to issues such as appointments, but has leeway to act in matters where there is a public interest, analysts say.

In general, security issues are the clearest exception to this duty of restraint, said Or Asher, a researcher at the Tel Aviv-based Tachlith Institute, noting that Israel’s supreme court has previously held that a caretaker government must avoid far-reaching decisions unless they are justified by a pressing necessity.