Mideast Tensions Explode: Netanyahu Trashes Trump’s Gaza Plan as Houthis Strike Red Sea Port and Saudi Oil Refinery

Tensions across West Asia reached a dangerous flashpoint on Sunday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flatly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s 15-point peace plan for Gaza, insisting that Israeli troops will not withdraw until Hamas is completely disarmed. The diplomatic rift comes alongside a sharp military escalation in the region, where Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched deadly missile and drone strikes against a strategic Red Sea port in Yemen and targeted a Saudi Arabian oil refinery, threatening to unravel years of fragile ceasefire efforts.

The double blow to regional stability has sent shockwaves through international diplomatic channels and energy markets, highlighting the volatile fallout of the ongoing conflict involving Israel, Iran, and their regional proxies.

Netanyahu Defies Washington over Gaza Troop Withdrawal

Addressing a Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly dismantled the framework announced by President Trump last month, which aimed to broker an end to the Gaza conflict. Under the proposed road map, Israeli forces were expected to pull back as Hamas completed its disarmament.

However, Netanyahu delivered an uncompromising stance, confirming that Israel refuses to abide by the 15-point document in its current form.

"Israel will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed," Netanyahu declared, emphasizing that military control over key sectors of the enclave remains crucial to national security. Israeli forces currently control more than half of the Gaza Strip, where months of intense military operations have left large swathes of the enclave devastated.

The public rejection underscores mounting political domestic pressures on Netanyahu, who is struggling to maintain his governing coalition ahead of general elections slated for 27 October.

Hamas officials swiftly condemned Netanyahu’s stance. Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, affirmed that the group remains committed to the original road map and called on Washington and international mediators to hold the Israeli leadership accountable.

Houthi Strikes Kill Seven at Mocha Port and Target Saudi Refinery

As diplomatic efforts faltered in Jerusalem, violence flared dramatically along key maritime trade corridors in the Red Sea. In Yemen, Houthi insurgents launched two waves of ballistic missile and drone attacks within 24 hours on the government-controlled port city of Mocha.

According to Yemeni military sources and local officials, the strikes killed at least seven people—four soldiers and three civilians—and left 15 others wounded. The bombardment inflicted severe damage on port facilities, cargo piers, and storage warehouses containing essential food and commercial supplies. Mocha had recently been refurbished by the internationally recognised Yemeni government to bypass Houthi-controlled ports like Hodeida.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the operation, stating the strikes targeted military deployments and weapons depots. Saree also confirmed a separate drone strike against an Aramco oil refinery in the southwestern Saudi city of Jazan, describing it as retaliation for Saudi drone incursions over Yemeni territory.

Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry confirmed that a fire broke out at the Jazan facility early on Sunday, though emergency crews extinguished the blaze without casualties. The flare-up marks the most serious breach of stability along the Saudi-Yemeni border since the 2022 truce, raising fears of a full-scale return to civil war in Yemen.

High-Stakes Stand-off over the Strait of Hormuz

The surge in regional conflict coincides with high-stakes brinkmanship in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway vital to global crude shipments. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council released a stern statement conditioning any reopening of the strait on sweeping American concessions, including an end to naval blockades, the withdrawal of U.S. forces, and compensation for war damages.

Despite Tehran's formal rhetoric, diplomats from Iran and Oman are quietly hammering out an interim arrangement to restore maritime passage without transit fees. Under the proposed blueprint, vessels would enter through designated Iranian lanes and exit via Omani waters. However, security risks remain acute—an oil tanker operated by the UAE's state company ADNOC was targeted by a missile in the strait over the weekend, illustrating the fragile margin between diplomacy and total escalation across the vital trade corridor.