On May 6th, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the United States would cease its bombing campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. This decision, according to the President, comes as a result of an agreement reached with the Iran-aligned group, wherein they have committed to halt their disruptions of critical shipping lanes in the Middle East, reports Reuters.
Mediating Role
Following President Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire, Oman stated that it had been mediating in reaching the agreement. This development signifies a notable shift in Houthi policy since the beginning of Israel’s war in Gaza in October 2023. While Oman’s statement did not specify whether the Houthis had agreed to cease attacks on Israel, Mahdi al-Mashat, the head of Yemen’s Houthi Supreme Political Council, affirmed that the group would continue its support for Gaza and that such attacks would persist.
Houthi-run Al Masirah TV quoted Mahdi al-Mashat as addressing “all Zionists,” urging them to “stay in shelters or leave to your countries immediately as your failed government will not be able to protect you after today.”
Separately, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of Yemen’s Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, indicated on X (formerly Twitter) that the U.S. halt of “aggression” against Yemen would be assessed.
Ceasefire Agreement
The United States had escalated its airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen earlier in the year, aiming to curb their attacks on Red Sea shipping. This increased military action prompted concerns from human rights activists regarding potential civilian casualties.
President Trump, during an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, stated that the Houthis had requested a cessation of bombing, pledging to refrain from further attacks on U.S. ships. “They said please don’t bomb us any more and we’re not going to attack your ships,” Trump said. “And I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately.”
Qatar and Kuwait issued separate statements welcoming the ceasefire agreement, expressing their hopes for the deal to ensure freedom of navigation in the region. Tensions had already been elevated since the onset of the Gaza war, but they further escalated after a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, leading to Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port on Monday.
The Israeli military conducted an airstrike on Yemen’s main airport in Sanaa on Tuesday, marking their second attack on the Houthi rebels in two days, following a surge in tensions between the group and Israel.
Under the previous Biden administration, the U.S. and Britain had jointly launched airstrikes against Houthi targets to safeguard the vital Red Sea trading route, which accommodates approximately 15% of global shipping traffic.
Trump did not clarify whether Britain had also agreed to the ceasefire.
Following his inauguration in January, President Trump opted to intensify airstrikes against the Houthis significantly. This decision was made after the Houthis declared their intention to resume attacks on Israeli ships transiting the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden.
On April 28th, a suspected U.S. airstrike struck a migrant center in Yemen, resulting in the reported deaths of 68 people, according to Houthi TV. This incident was described as one of the deadliest attacks during the six weeks of intensified U.S. strikes.
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Source: Reuters
