President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the US will cease bombing Yemen’s Houthis, following a ceasefire mediated by Oman, where the Iran-aligned group agreed to stop attacking key Middle East shipping lanes.
During an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on May 6, 2025, President Trump declared an immediate halt to US airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthis, stating, “They said please don’t bomb us anymore, and we’re not going to attack your ships,” as reported by Reuters.
President Trump said the US will stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen after the Iran-aligned group agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East https://t.co/y7vRP3LxcL
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 6, 2025Oman confirmed mediating the deal, under which neither the US nor the Houthis will target each other, including US vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. The agreement, silent on Houthi attacks on Israel, follows intensified US strikes under Operation Rough Rider, which killed hundreds since March 15, per Pentagon data.
The ceasefire responds to Houthi disruptions of Red Sea shipping, critical for 15% of global trade, since Israel’s Gaza offensive began in October 2023. A recent Houthi missile near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on May 5 prompted Israeli strikes on Yemen, escalating tensions, as noted by Al Jazeera.
⚡️BREAKING
Trump has ended his strike campaign against the Houthis after almost losing an aircraft carrier
'Houthis told us they won't attack our ships anymore, they surrendered. We will also stop attacking them' pic.twitter.com/BhoviKqVRF
— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) May 6, 2025Regional Context and Concerns
The Houthis’ Red Sea attacks, retaliating against Israel’s Gaza campaign, have disrupted global shipping, prompting US and British strikes under the Biden administration. Trump’s intensified campaign since January 2025, including a deadly April 28 strike killing 68 at a Yemen migrant centre, drew criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties, per Amnesty International.
President Trump’s decision to halt US bombing of Yemen’s Houthis, announced on May 6, 2025, after an Oman-mediated ceasefire, marks a pivotal shift in Middle East dynamics. With the Houthis pledging to spare US ships, the deal safeguards Red Sea trade but leaves Israel-Houthi tensions unresolved. As global markets and rights groups watch, the ceasefire’s success hinges on sustained peace.
