US and Houthis reach Red Sea ceasefire amid ongoing tensions with Israel

In a significant development in the Red Sea crisis, the United States has agreed to pause its aerial offensive on Yemen’s Houthi rebels following an informal agreement that the group will cease targeting commercial vessels in the region. Despite the de-escalation on the maritime front, Houthi leaders have vowed to maintain their attacks on Israel in response to the Gaza conflict.

The announcement was made by US President Donald Trump during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House. Trump claimed that the Houthis have “capitulated” and expressed no further desire to engage in conflict. While offering few specifics about the ceasefire, the president emphasized that US airstrikes would stop immediately. “They just don’t want to fight anymore,” Trump stated. “And we will honour that.”

This truce follows weeks of intensified military operations in Yemen. In mid-March, the US, along with its allies, ramped up its campaign in response to Houthi attacks on maritime traffic. According to Pentagon statements, over 1,000 targets in Yemen have been hit since then. These include strategic military facilities as well as sites alleged to house senior members of the Houthi leadership. However, civilian casualties have also been reported in multiple incidents, including one particularly deadly airstrike on a detention facility in Saada, which local authorities say killed at least 68 African detainees.

Another major strike on the Ras Isa oil port on April 18 left over 80 people dead and 150 injured, raising further international concern about the humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict. The Trump administration has defended these actions as self-defense, asserting that they were a necessary response to direct threats to American commercial and naval interests.

The ceasefire was reportedly facilitated by Oman, a key regional actor often involved in mediating between Western powers and Yemen’s Houthi leadership. Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, confirmed the agreement in an online statement, saying the deal aims to ensure the security of international maritime routes and protect commercial shipping through the Red Sea. “Neither side will target the other,” Busaidi noted, emphasizing the importance of restoring navigational freedom in one of the world’s most critical trade arteries.

While the Houthis have not issued an official statement regarding the ceasefire, political leader Mahdi al-Mashat made it clear that their military campaign against Israel will proceed. He described the group’s response as one that will “go beyond what the Israeli enemy can withstand.”

Houthi aggression against Israel and shipping intensified following the outbreak of war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Since then, the Houthis have launched numerous drone and missile attacks, targeting vessels and Israeli territory in what they claim is a show of solidarity with Palestinians.

Tensions escalated dramatically over the weekend when a Houthi missile struck near Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international hub. In retaliation, Israeli forces launched a series of strikes on Yemeni territory, hitting Sana’a International Airport and the strategic port of Hodeidah.

Israeli officials claim that the airport was rendered completely inoperable, with three civilian planes destroyed on the tarmac. “The strike was a direct response to the Houthi regime’s attack on Israeli soil,” read a statement from the Israeli military. Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that the operation was a message to Iran, which Israel considers the primary backer of Houthi military operations.

Yemeni officials confirmed the extent of the destruction, stating that Sana’a airport had been entirely devastated and three of Yemenia Airlines’ aircraft had been obliterated. Additional airstrikes hit a cement plant and a power station, causing more deaths and injuries. According to Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV, three people were killed and 38 wounded in the attacks.

The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, expressed alarm at the deteriorating situation, describing the recent military escalations as a “dangerous turn” in an already fragile regional landscape. He urged all parties to exercise restraint and prioritize diplomatic solutions to avoid further humanitarian suffering.

As the ceasefire takes effect between the US and the Houthis in the Red Sea, the broader regional conflict remains far from resolved. With Houthi missile campaigns against Israel still ongoing and Israeli retaliation intensifying, the path to lasting peace in the region appears uncertain.