• President Trump announced an immediate halt to U.S. airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthis, claiming they had surrendered, but Houthi leaders denied capitulation and vowed to keep fighting Israel.
• The ceasefire, brokered by Oman, only prevents U.S.-Houthi clashes, not Houthi attacks on Israel, which they frame as resistance to Israeli actions in Gaza.
• Israeli officials were caught off guard by Trump’s decision, coming just after Israeli airstrikes on Yemen in retaliation for a Houthi missile attack near Tel Aviv.
• Despite months of U.S. military efforts, the Houthis remain defiant, downing U.S. drones and continuing maritime attacks, with their leadership warning of further retaliation.
• The ceasefire shifts focus to diplomacy, but the Houthis’ commitment to opposing Israel keeps the region on the edge of escalation.

In a sudden and unexpected move, President Donald Trump announced yesterday that the U.S. would immediately cease airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, claiming the group had “capitulated” and no longer wished to fight.

The decision, mediated by Oman, establishes a fragile ceasefire between Washington and the Houthis, but senior Houthi officials swiftly denied surrendering, vowing instead to continue their campaign against Israel in solidarity with Gaza. The announcement reportedly caught Israeli leaders off guard, even as Yemen’s leadership reaffirmed its commitment to resisting what it called Israeli “genocidal crimes.” Despite months of U.S. military efforts, including thousands of airstrikes, the Houthis remain defiant, framing their actions as a moral duty to oppose Israeli aggression.

A surprise ceasefire, but no surrender

Standing alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House, Trump declared, “We will honor that and we will stop the bombings. They have capitulated.” He claimed the Houthis had privately communicated they “don’t want to fight anymore” and would halt attacks on commercial shipping, which was a key U.S. demand. However, the rebels’ actual stance quickly contradicted Trump’s assertion.

Senior Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi fired back, stating, “The Yemeni people will not be intimidated by American and Israeli terrorism,” and accused Israel of committing “the same genocidal crimes they commit in Gaza.” He did not directly address Trump’s claim of surrender but made clear the group’s focus remained on Gaza. Meanwhile, Oman’s Foreign Ministry confirmed it had brokered a deal ensuring that “neither side will target the other,” though it notably did not restrict Houthi operations against Israel.

Israeli strikes and Houthi defiance

The ceasefire announcement came just hours after Israeli warplanes launched a major attack on Yemen’s Sana’a International Airport, destroying critical infrastructure in retaliation for a Houthi ballistic missile strike near Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli media reported that officials were “surprised” by Trump’s decision, with Yedioth Ahronoth noting authorities “do not understand the implications of his statement.”

Yemen’s Supreme Political Council Chairman Mahdi al-Mashat responded defiantly: “There will be no retreat from supporting Gaza, no matter the cost.” He warned Israel to expect a “devastating, painful” response and urged settlers to “stay in shelters or leave immediately to your homelands.” The Houthis have long framed their maritime attacks as resistance to Israel’s war in Gaza.

A failed military strategy and shift to diplomacy

The U.S. campaign against the Houthis, launched in early 2023 without congressional approval, has been costly and ineffective. Despite thousands of airstrikes and the deployment of carrier strike groups, the rebels downed advanced U.S. drones and continued harassing Red Sea shipping lanes. U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking admitted last year, “We know that there is no military solution.”

The ceasefire now opens a path for broader diplomacy, including stalled nuclear talks with Iran, which backs the Houthis. Yet the agreement’s limitations are clear: while it halts U.S.-Houthi clashes, it does nothing to curb the rebels’ strikes on Israel or its allies. For now, the Houthis remain entrenched in their mission, and the region remains on the brink of further escalation.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

TheCradle.co

CNN.com

BBC.com