President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US would halt its airstrikes on the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen, following what he described as a surprising message from the Houthis: “They don’t want to fight anymore.”
As you’ll see for yourselves at the end of this unusual report, Trump was telling the truth.
“We’ll honor that, and we’ll stop the bombings,” Trump declared from the Oval Office, seated beside recently elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The US campaign, launched in mid-March, was aimed at deterring Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes and Israeli targets.
“They’ve capitulated—or at least, that’s what they told us,” Trump said. “They said they’re done blowing up ships. And we believe them. Because when has that ever gone wrong?”
At that moment, Prime Minister Carney reportedly raised an eyebrow—a subtle but unmistakable diplomatic gesture that, depending on the interpreter, could have meant skepticism, concern, or simply the Canadian equivalent of shouting, “Are you kidding me?” The eyebrow remained aloft for several seconds, prompting speculation on social media that it might have required its own State Department briefing.
A senior Houthi official on Monday dismissed Trump’s claims of Houthi surrender and their agreeing to cease attacks in the Red Sea, calling them “completely false.”
Brigadier General Abed Mohammed al-Thawr, Assistant Director of the Moral Guidance Department in Yemen’s armed forces, told Shafaq News that no communication has taken place with the United States.
“Trump’s statements are inaccurate. We have not held any negotiations, nor have we announced a halt to our operations,” he said.
Al-Thawr stressed that the terror group’s military capabilities remain fully operational and accused Trump of trying to “weaken Yemen’s stance.” He warned that any escalation would be met with a response.
Moral Guidance Department in Yemen’s armed forces? Seriously?
However, on Wednesday, Arab media outlets confirmed President Trump’s assertion, reporting a significant yet discreet diplomatic development: the United States has reached an understanding with Yemen’s Ansarullah movement to suspend hostilities in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. The agreement marks the most concrete step toward de-escalation in the maritime conflict in months.
Amwaj Media reported Wednesday morning that the heart of the agreement is a quid pro quo initially proposed by the Houthis weeks earlier: Yemen’s Ansarullah movement will cease targeting commercial vessels, while the United States will suspend its airstrikes in Yemen. Though the arrangement appears transactional, it carries significant geopolitical weight, not only easing tensions in a critical maritime corridor but also potentially bolstering nuclear diplomacy efforts between Tehran and Washington.
The deal’s chief architect is Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East. Witkoff facilitated the engagement with the Houthis through Omani mediation, as Muscat continues to serve as a discreet venue for multiple rounds of indirect US-Iran talks. Over the past month, Witkoff has led three rounds of backchannel negotiations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and is reportedly considering a return to Muscat for a possible fourth round as early as this weekend.
