US Announces Halt to Air Strikes on Yemen as Ceasefire Brokered with Houthis

The United States has announced an immediate suspension of its daily air strikes on Yemen following a ceasefire agreement with the Houthi movement, confirmed by Omani mediators, Al Jazeera reports.

The decision marks a significant shift in US military policy in the region amid escalating regional tensions.

Speaking at the White House on Tuesday alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, President Donald Trump said the U.S. would honor what he described as the Houthis’ decision to cease hostilities.

“The Houthis have announced to us that they don’t want to fight any more. They just don’t want to fight, and we will honour that, and we will stop the bombings,” Trump stated.

Trump also claimed that the Houthis, aligned with Iran, had agreed not to target international shipping, particularly in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group had begun targeting vessels in those waters in October 2023, citing support for Palestinians amid the war in Gaza.

“I will accept their word, and we will be stopping the bombing of Houthis, effective immediately,” Trump said.

Oman, which has long played a mediating role in the region, confirmed the agreement. In a statement on social media, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said recent negotiations led to a mutual ceasefire.

“Following recent discussions and contacts conducted by the Sultanate of Oman with the United States and the relevant authorities in Sana’a, in the Republic of Yemen, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides,” he wrote.

According to Oman’s statement, the agreement includes a commitment by both parties to refrain from targeting one another, including US vessels, ensuring freedom of navigation through key maritime trade routes.

A Houthi official, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, acknowledged the U announcement but expressed caution. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), he said the decision would be “evaluated on the ground first,” and suggested the group’s broader operations in support of Gaza may continue.

A US State Department spokesperson clarified that the ceasefire pertains specifically to Houthi activity targeting American assets and does not affect any ongoing tensions between the Houthis and Israel.

The announcement came just hours after Israeli air strikes heavily damaged the airport in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and targeted infrastructure in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. The strikes followed a Houthi ballistic missile attack that landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport.

The US military had been conducting near-daily air raids on Yemen for nearly two months prior to the ceasefire, resulting in significant destruction and casualties, including civilian deaths.

Analysts have noted the possible influence of Iran in facilitating the agreement. Reporting from the region, Al Jazeera’s Ali Hashem suggested that progress in US-Iran nuclear negotiations may have played a role.

“The Omanis have been the main mediators between the US and Iran, and now the Houthis and the Americans. There are indications that the nuclear talks are advancing, with a framework shaping over sanctions lifting in exchange for nuclear restrictions,” Hashem said.

He added that Iran may have supported de-escalation efforts by the Houthis as part of a broader diplomatic strategy.