US Will Only Stop Attacks if Houthis Surrender: Trump

International Desk

US President Donald Trump has made it clear that military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels will only cease if they surrender. Meanwhile, Oman has mediated an agreement with the Iran-backed group, securing their commitment to halt attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.

“They don’t want to fight anymore,” Trump stated during a joint press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House. “We will respect their wishes. We will stop the bombing. They have surrendered.”

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi confirmed the deal ensures mutual non-aggression between the US and Houthis, safeguarding maritime trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb Strait. However, no formal statement has been issued by the Houthis.

Since March, the US has intensified strikes, targeting over 1,000 Houthi sites, according to military reports. Trump emphasized the rebels’ pledge to cease ship attacks: “This was our mission’s core objective. They’ve promised no more vessel destruction.”

The Houthis began targeting ships in late 2023, protesting Israel’s Gaza offensive. Their campaign included missile/drone strikes, two sunk ships, one hijacking, and four sailor deaths, severely disrupting trade and forcing reroutes via Africa’s southern tip.

While Presidents Biden and Trump escalated military responses to secure shipping lanes, controversy persists. Last month, Houthis accused the US of an airstrike killing 68 African migrants at a detention center in northwest Yemen.

Despite the truce, tensions linger. The rebels continue firing missiles at Israel, including one near Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday. In retaliation, Israel heavily bombed Sana’a’s main airport on Tuesday, reportedly destroying it completely, alongside strikes on power plants and cement factories, an airport official confirmed to AFP.