US and Houthis Reach Ceasefire Agreement Amid Intensified Conflict in Yemen
The US agrees to halt airstrikes in Yemen after Houthis agree to cease attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
The United States has announced a cessation of its airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi movement, following an agreement in which the Iran-aligned group committed to cease targeting maritime traffic in the Red Sea.
This development was reported by US President Donald Trump, who described it as a positive shift during a meeting in the Oval Office with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The ceasefire arrangement, reportedly facilitated by Oman, aims to restore 'freedom of navigation' in the Red Sea, a crucial waterway for international shipping, which has faced disruptions due to Houthi attacks.
Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, elaborated that dialogue between the parties has led to a commitment from both sides not to target each other, thereby aiming for smoother commercial shipping traffic.
The Houthis have not issued an official statement regarding the agreement, although their political leader, Mahdi al-Mashat, indicated that retaliatory attacks against Israel would persist.
The remarks followed an escalation in hostilities triggered by the recent Israeli military operations against Hamas in Gaza, which prompted the Houthis to engage in missile fire directed at Israel as well as threats against shipping movements.
The US military has escalated its operations in Yemen since March, conducting over 1,000 airstrikes aimed at Houthi positions, purportedly to counter the group's assaults on American commercial and naval vessels.
These strikes have reportedly resulted in both Houthi casualties and civilian deaths, with significant incidents including strikes on a detention center in Saada, which killed numerous individuals, and an airstrike on Ras Isa fuel port.
Tensions surged significantly after a Houthi missile landed near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Yemen, which the Israeli military claimed fully disabled Yemen’s main airport, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure including multiple commercial aircraft.
The Israeli strikes, which resulted in casualties among Yemeni civilians, were framed by Israeli officials as necessary responses to Houthi aggression, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasizing the need for deterrence against Iranian influence viewed as guiding Houthi actions.
The UN special envoy for Yemen has expressed concern regarding the rapid escalation of violence, highlighting the risks of further destabilization in an already fragile regional landscape.
The humanitarian situation in Yemen, already critical due to ongoing conflict, faces additional challenges amid the increased military operations by both the US and Israeli forces in response to the Houthi attacks.
This development was reported by US President Donald Trump, who described it as a positive shift during a meeting in the Oval Office with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The ceasefire arrangement, reportedly facilitated by Oman, aims to restore 'freedom of navigation' in the Red Sea, a crucial waterway for international shipping, which has faced disruptions due to Houthi attacks.
Oman’s Foreign Minister, Badr al-Busaidi, elaborated that dialogue between the parties has led to a commitment from both sides not to target each other, thereby aiming for smoother commercial shipping traffic.
The Houthis have not issued an official statement regarding the agreement, although their political leader, Mahdi al-Mashat, indicated that retaliatory attacks against Israel would persist.
The remarks followed an escalation in hostilities triggered by the recent Israeli military operations against Hamas in Gaza, which prompted the Houthis to engage in missile fire directed at Israel as well as threats against shipping movements.
The US military has escalated its operations in Yemen since March, conducting over 1,000 airstrikes aimed at Houthi positions, purportedly to counter the group's assaults on American commercial and naval vessels.
These strikes have reportedly resulted in both Houthi casualties and civilian deaths, with significant incidents including strikes on a detention center in Saada, which killed numerous individuals, and an airstrike on Ras Isa fuel port.
Tensions surged significantly after a Houthi missile landed near Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Yemen, which the Israeli military claimed fully disabled Yemen’s main airport, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure including multiple commercial aircraft.
The Israeli strikes, which resulted in casualties among Yemeni civilians, were framed by Israeli officials as necessary responses to Houthi aggression, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasizing the need for deterrence against Iranian influence viewed as guiding Houthi actions.
The UN special envoy for Yemen has expressed concern regarding the rapid escalation of violence, highlighting the risks of further destabilization in an already fragile regional landscape.
The humanitarian situation in Yemen, already critical due to ongoing conflict, faces additional challenges amid the increased military operations by both the US and Israeli forces in response to the Houthi attacks.
