US to stop bombing Houthis in Yemen following ceasefire agreement, says Donald Trump

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday (May 6) that the US would stop bombing the Iran-aligned Houthi group in Yemen. Trump stated that the decision came after the Houthis agreed to cease their attacks on critical shipping lanes in the Middle East.

"They said please don't bomb us anymore and we're not going to attack your ships," Trump said during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. "And I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately."

Oman mediates ceasefire agreement

Oman played a crucial role in mediating the ceasefire deal between the US and the Houthis. According to a statement from Oman, the agreement stipulated that neither the US nor the Houthis would target each other, including US vessels operating in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The statement, however, did not clarify whether the Houthis had agreed to halt their attacks on Israel.

Houthis express desire to end fighting

Trump highlighted that the Houthis had expressed their desire to end hostilities. "They don’t want to fight anymore... we will honor that and we will stop the bombings... they have capitulated," Trump said.

He conveyed that the group’s surrender marked a turning point in the conflict. The US military has conducted more than 1,000 strikes against Houthi targets since March, claiming to have killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous leaders.

No ceasefire on attacks against Israel

While the US is halting its airstrikes on the Houthis, the group's broader actions remain contentious. The head of Yemen's Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, indicated that while the US ceasefire is welcomed, the group would continue its support for Gaza. "We will continue to support Gaza to end the war," he stated, underscoring that the ceasefire with the US did not extend to a halt of attacks on Israel.

US military strikes and tensions in the region

The US military's intensified operations against the Houthis this year, known as Operation Rough Rider, aimed to curb the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. As part of the broader context, the Houthis had targeted Israeli ships and were involved in missile strikes on Israel since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023.

The escalation of tensions has led to Israeli airstrikes on Yemen's Hodeidah port and Sanaa airport, with the situation remaining volatile.