President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States would halt its airstrikes on Yemen’s Houthi forces following a message from the Iran-aligned group signaling a desire to cease attacks on international shipping routes. The statement came during a White House meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, shortly before President Trump is set to travel to the Middle East.
“They said please don’t bomb us anymore and we’re not going to attack your ships,” the American president said, describing the verbal exchange as a “handshake agreement,” rather than a formal deal. The ceasefire was reportedly brokered with the help of Omani mediation, according to US and Omani officials.
The US military has carried out over 1,000 strikes in Yemen since launching Operation Rough Rider in mid-March, targeting infrastructure and personnel associated with the Houthis. According to US Central Command, hundreds of Houthi fighters and commanders were killed during the campaign, and significant US resources were committed, including two aircraft carriers and strategic bombers. Several US drones were also lost in the operation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the strikes aimed to ensure freedom of navigation, noting that Houthi attacks had disrupted global commerce and endangered American ships. “These are a band of individuals with advanced weaponry that were threatening global shipping,” Rubio said.
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The Houthi leadership has pushed back against President Trump’s characterization of the truce, stating that their operations will continue in support of Gaza until the conflict and blockade there ends. One official accused the president of “lying to get out of the situation he found himself in.”
The US designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization in March reversed a previous policy under the Biden administration. While Houthi attacks on commercial shipping have declined in recent months, the group has continued to launch missiles toward Israel. A recent missile strike hit Tel Aviv’s airport, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes on Al Hudaydah and Sanaa.
A senior Israeli official said the US did not notify Israel in advance about President Trump’s ceasefire declaration, calling it a “surprise.”
The announcement also came as the US president hosted Carney, newly elected Canadian prime minister, for bilateral talks focused on resetting trade and security relations. Carney, a former central banker with no prior political experience, was elected on a platform critical of the Trump administration’s trade policies. President Trump previously accused Canada of taking advantage of the US economically, despite their strong trade ties.
Carney said the meetings were expected to be “difficult yet constructive” and played down expectations of immediate breakthroughs. “Do not expect white smoke out of that meeting,” he said, referencing the Vatican’s practice of signaling a new pope.
President Trump is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates next week and has hinted at a “very, very big” and “positive” announcement prior to departure, though he did not elaborate.