President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will stop its airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen. This decision follows a request from the Houthis, who reached out to the U.S. on Monday night asking for an end to the bombing.
During a press conference with Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump shared the Houthis’ message: “They said, ‘Please don’t bomb us anymore and we’re not going to attack your ships.’”
Since March, when a ceasefire in Gaza ended, the U.S. has conducted over 800 airstrikes against Houthi targets. The Houthis had resumed their attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea using missiles and drones, prompting the U.S. response.
However, the halt in American air operations does not mean peace will follow. Just the night before Trump’s announcement, Israel launched significant airstrikes against the Houthis. This action was in response to a Houthi missile that managed to breach Israeli defenses and hit near Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
In reaction to Trump’s statement, Houthi officials pushed back. Deif Allah al-Shami, a member of their political bureau, stated, “There will be no cancellation of aid operations until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege on the Palestinians is lifted.”
This development marks a notable shift in U.S. involvement in the region, but it remains to be seen how it will impact the ongoing conflict and humanitarian situation in Yemen and Gaza.