Iran says Hormuz stays closed until US meets demands; Netanyahu rejects Gaza plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected a US-led Gaza plan endorsed by Hamas, putting distance between himself and US President Donald Trump as he tries to shore up his base ahead of close elections.

After more than a week of gradually escalating criticism of the plan, and despite receiving assurances that Israel would not need to start withdrawing in Gaza immediately, Netanyahu explicitly opposed the deal following pushback from his right-wing allies.

"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said, referring to the plan Hamas agreed to in late July.

The Israeli military "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed, and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens", he told a cabinet meeting.

Netanyahu described Trump, who had hailed the Gaza deal as a milestone for peace, as "our greatest friend in the White House" - but quickly made clear he was willing to challenge him, saying Israel was raising its objections with the United States.

"They have ideas; some of them are acceptable to us and some are not, and we know how to stand our ground on these matters," he said.

Yemeni government forces and medical sources reported that Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched a large-scale missile and drone assault on the Red Sea port city of al-Mokha (also spelled Makha or Mocha) late on Sunday, August 9, 2026, killing at least seven people — including three civilians and four to eight military personnel — and wounding around 30–32 others.

The Yemeni military stated that four armed forces members and three civilians were killed and 30 others injured in the strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, the commercial port, and armed forces positions.

Air defences intercepted and shot down 11 Houthi drones. Later medical and AFP-cited figures raised the toll to at least 11 dead (three civilians and eight military personnel) and 32 wounded (including six civilians), with all civilian casualties linked to hits on the port.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards insisted late on Sunday that they would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the US complied with a list of demands, including paying compensation for war damage.

Iran's effective blockade of the crucial energy conduit has rattled allies, roiled markets and driven up prices, but US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he was "low-keying it" in his approach to Tehran, suggesting he believed he could wait them out economically.

Oil prices were higher in early Asian trading Monday as uncertainty over a possible agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz continued to outweigh hopes for a quick return to normal shipping.

At 8:33 am Tokyo on Monday (Aug. 10, 2026), market data on OilPrice.com showed West Texas Intermediate crude at $78.71 a barrel, up 53 cents, or 0.68%; Brent crude at $84.28, up 73 cents, or 0.87%; and Murban crude at $80.25, up 72 cents, or 0.91%.