On May 6, US President Donald Trump announced an end to Operation Rough Rider, the US offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, saying the Houthis and the US had reached an agreement. The Foreign Ministry of Oman issued a statement saying it had brokered a ceasefire between the two parties.
“In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels, in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping,” the Omani Foreign Ministry stated.
According to Trump, the Houthis “announced to us at least that they don’t want to fight anymore.” He continued, “We will take their word. They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore.”
A statement posted on the Houthi war media X account and credited to Mohammed Abdel Salam, head of the National Delegation, the Muscat-based Houthi negotiating team, affirmed the Omani statement. The Houthis’ statement went on to claim that the agreement came at the request of America and described the US position as “an expression of helplessness and failure.” A second post by the group alleged that Israel is “very disappointed by the American position.”
The ceasefire is limited to US-Houthi relations, and the publicly stated terms make no mention of Israel, which the Houthis have routinely targeted since October 2023 in solidarity with Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Abdulmalik Alejri, a member of the Houthis’ negotiating delegation, stated that the agreement “has nothing to do with the Israeli enemy or with supporting Gaza” in a post on X.
Mahdi al Mashat, president of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, said, “We indirectly informed the Americans that the continued escalation will affect the criminal Trump’s visit to the region, and we have informed them of nothing else.”
Moammar al Eryani, a minister in Yemen’s Internationally Recognized Government, asserted that the ceasefire agreement is a surrender forced on the Houthis by the success of American airstrikes.
The ceasefire comes after seven weeks of US airstrikes against Houthi targets across northern Yemen aimed at restoring American deterrence and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. According to the US Department of Defense, “[US] strikes have hit over 1,000 targets, killing Houthi fighters and leaders, including senior Houthi missile and UAV officials, and degrading their capabilities.”
According to CNN, the US Navy lost an F-18 jet from the USS Truman in the Red Sea on Tuesday. While the US Department of Defense has not confirmed the loss, it would be the second fighter jet the US has lost in an accident during operations against the Houthis. In addition to the jets, the Houthis have reportedly shot down seven MQ-9 Reaper drones during the US operation.
Despite daily US airstrikes during the campaign, the Houthis continued launching dozens of missiles and drones at US naval forces in the Red Sea and Israel. All attacks were intercepted, until Israel failed to intercept a ballistic missile on May 4 that struck near Ben Gurion International Airport in central Israel. The Houthis also announced that they aim to impose a “comprehensive air blockade” of Israel by “repeatedly targeting airports.” Many international airlines have suspended flights to Tel Aviv.
Following the Houthis’ attack on Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel struck Hodeida port, which is an economic lifeline for the Houthis, Sanaa International Airport, power stations, and cement factories that the terrorist group uses to develop its infrastructure. According to the director of Sanaa airport, the facility suffered $500 million in damages.
