President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the U.S. will halt its bombing campaign against the Houthis in Yemen, following an agreement from the Iran-aligned group to stop disrupting vital shipping lanes in the Middle East.
The U.S. had escalated airstrikes against the Houthis in recent months, aiming to protect Red Sea shipping routes from attacks. Human rights groups had raised concerns over civilian casualties as a result of the strikes.
During an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump revealed that the Houthis had pledged to cease attacks on U.S. and Israeli ships. “They said please don’t bomb us anymore, and we won’t attack your ships,” Trump stated. “I will take their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately.”
There was no immediate response from the Houthis.
The Houthis have been firing at Israel and targeting Red Sea shipping since Israel launched its military offensive against Hamas in Gaza after the deadly October 7, 2023, attack. Trump said he trusted the Houthis’ commitment to no longer target ships.
Since the start of Operation Rough Rider on March 15, U.S. forces have struck over 1,000 targets, killing hundreds of Houthi fighters and several Houthi leaders. The U.S. military’s campaign has been in response to the Houthis’ attacks on shipping, which is crucial for global trade.
Tensions have escalated since the Gaza conflict began, with a recent Houthi missile landing near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, leading to Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port on Monday. On Tuesday, Israel carried out another airstrike on Sanaa’s main airport, marking the second attack in two days against the Houthis.
The U.S. had previously launched airstrikes during the Biden administration, particularly in retaliation against Houthi actions that threatened the vital Red Sea shipping route, which accounts for approximately 15% of global trade. Trump’s administration significantly intensified these operations after the Houthis resumed targeting Israeli vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea.
A U.S. airstrike on April 28, which reportedly hit a migrant center in Yemen, killed at least 68 people, marking one of the deadliest attacks in six weeks of intensified airstrikes.
