U.S. President Donald Trump looks on as he signs executive orders and proclamations in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 5, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo
May 6, 2025
President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that the United States will cease its airstrikes on the Houthi movement in Yemen, citing an assurance from the Iran-aligned group that it will stop targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The announcement came during an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, where Trump said the Houthis had expressed a desire to end hostilities:
“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.”
There has been no immediate response from the Houthis to confirm the U.S. president’s claim.
Background of the Conflict
The U.S. military campaign against the Houthis, formally known as Operation Rough Rider, began on March 15, 2025, in response to repeated attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden.
- The U.S. military says it has conducted over 1,000 airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous commanders.
- The Houthis began targeting regional shipping lanes following Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, launched after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.
The conflict escalated further in recent days:
- On Sunday, a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, prompting Israeli retaliation.
- In response, Israeli forces struck Yemen’s Hodeidah port on Monday and Sanaa International Airport on Tuesday, intensifying regional tensions.
Civilian Casualties and International Concerns
Human rights organizations have voiced concerns over civilian casualties, particularly following a suspected U.S. airstrike on a migrant center in Yemen on April 28, which Houthi media claims killed 68 people, marking one of the deadliest incidents since the escalation began.
Under President Joe Biden, the U.S. had also engaged in joint strikes with Britain targeting Houthi infrastructure to protect the vital Red Sea corridor, which carries roughly 15% of global maritime trade.
Trump’s administration adopted a more aggressive military posture earlier this year, but Tuesday’s declaration signals a major shift in Washington’s approach, based solely on what Trump described as a Houthi verbal assurance.
“We are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately,” Trump stated.
Strategic Implications
The decision to halt the strikes comes amid broader instability in the Middle East, with overlapping conflicts in Gaza, Yemen, and southern Lebanon. It also raises questions about the sustainability of maritime security in the Red Sea, where shipping has been routinely disrupted over the past year.
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