Washington/Sanaa, May 7 – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington will halt military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, claiming the Iran-aligned group has “capitulated” following months of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House, Trump said the Houthis had signaled they no longer intend to fight or target vessels transiting one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
“They just don’t want to fight, and we will honour that and stop the bombings,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore — and that’s what this was all about.”
Shortly after Trump’s remarks, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed a ceasefire deal had been brokered, saying that neither side would attack the other, including U.S. vessels, in the Red Sea or the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The Houthis have not yet commented publicly on the agreement.
The ceasefire follows a sharp escalation in the Red Sea, where the Houthis — who control much of northern Yemen — had launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial shipping in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. The group’s actions disrupted global trade routes, forcing major shipping firms to reroute vessels around southern Africa.
U.S.-led forces have conducted extensive airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since March. The Pentagon says more than 1,000 targets have been hit, while the Houthis have accused Washington of killing dozens of civilians, including 68 African migrants in a recent strike on a detention centre.
Despite the ceasefire, tensions in the region remain high. On Sunday, a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, prompting a large-scale Israeli response. Airstrikes on Monday and Tuesday targeted Yemen’s main international airport in Sanaa — reportedly leaving it “completely destroyed” — as well as power infrastructure, a cement factory, and port facilities in Hudaydah.
The Houthis have framed their campaign as a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which began after Hamas launched a deadly assault on southern Israel in October 2023. Israel has vowed to respond to any regional threats as its war with Hamas continues.
The U.S. and its allies say the Houthi attacks have jeopardized international shipping and global energy flows. Almost 15% of global seaborne trade typically passes through the Red Sea.
