US President Donald Trump announced on September 6 (local time) that he would end airstrikes targeting Houthi forces in Yemen, after the armed group agreed to stop attacking strategic shipping routes in the Middle East.
The ceasefire marks a significant shift in Houthi policy since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023.
Oman confirmed it had mediated the deal, Reuters reported. Accordingly, both the US and the Houthi forces have pledged not to attack each other, including US ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
President Trump said during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney: They say please stop bombing and they will not attack our ship. I will believe their words and stop bombing the Houthis immediately."
However, the statement from Oman did not mention whether the Houthi forces would end their attacks on Israel.
On the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV channel, Mahdi al- Mashat - Chairman of the Houthi Supreme Political Council - affirmed that the group will continue to support Gaza and maintain attacks.
The US airstrike campaign called Rough Rider launched on March 15 hit more than 1,000 targets in Yemen, killing hundreds of gunmen and many Houthi leaders. One of the controversial attacks occurred on April 28, when a migration center in Yemen was suspected of being hit by a US airstrike, killing 68 people, according to Houthi TV channel.
The lifting of airstrikes comes amid escalating regional tensions after a Houthi missile crashed near Israel's Ben Gurion airport on May 4. In response, Israel launched consecutive airstrikes on the port of Hodeidah and Sanaa airport - two key locations controlled by the Houthis.
The Trump administration has significantly increased attacks on the Houthis since he took office in January, after the group announced a resumption of attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
Qatar and Kuwait have issued statements welcoming the ceasefire agreement, expressing hope that this will be a step to help ensure the safety of maritime activities in the region. However, it is still unclear whether the UK will participate in this ceasefire.
