Netanyahu Rejects Trump’s Gaza Plan, Vowing No Withdrawal Until Hamas Disarmed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a 15-point US-backed Gaza plan championed by Donald Trump, vowing that the Israeli military will not withdraw from the enclave until Hamas is genuinely disarmed. The diplomatic breakdown comes as regional hostilities expand, marked by Houthi drone strikes on Saudi infrastructure and ongoing political transitions in Iran following the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Netanyahu Defies US-Backed Roadmap and Demands Complete Hamas Disarmament

The diplomatic rift widened during an Israeli cabinet meeting where Benjamin Netanyahu publicly dismissed the 15-point framework. According to the prime minister’s official statements provided in regional reporting, the Israel Defense Forces will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is completely disarmed and stops threatening Israeli forces and civilians.

Hamas quickly responded to the rebuffed agreement. Bassem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, stated that the United States must pressure Israel to accept the next phase of the roadmap. According to Naim, mediators and American guarantors need to compel Netanyahu and his government to adhere to the agreed process rather than obstructing it for internal political and electoral reasons.

Houthi Drone Strikes Hit Saudi Oil Infrastructure and Yemeni Forces

Beyond the Gaza Strip, the conflict continues to draw in regional proxies. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched a drone salvo targeting a Saudi oil refinery located on the Red Sea coast. Yahya Saree, the military spokesman for the Houthi movement, confirmed that the group successfully targeted the Aramco refinery in Jazan.

Houthi attacks killed at least four troops belonging to the internationally recognized government forces and injured 20 others. Two military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported that the initial casualties resulted from strikes in the Yemeni city of Mokha, surrounding areas, and Khokha, situated south of the port city of Hodeida.

Leadership Shifts and Succession Uncertainty in Tehran

In Tehran, domestic political developments continue to intersect with the broader wartime posture. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with the country’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, around the start of the president’s third year in office in late July, according to state media reports. Mojtaba Khamenei assumed the supreme leadership following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the initial US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February.

Speculation regarding the health of the supreme leader persists after reports indicated he was seriously injured in the February strike. To counter these rumors, Qasem Qoraishi, deputy head of the paramilitary Basij Organisation, promised that state media would release footage of Mojtaba Khamenei in the future.

The convergence of a stalled Gaza ceasefire, active drone strikes against Saudi energy assets, and a restructured leadership in Tehran ensures that the Middle East crisis will remain a central test of international diplomacy for the foreseeable future.