A newly announced ceasefire agreement between the United States and Yemen’s Houthi rebels does not include Israel, according to a Houthi spokesperson, indicating that the group may continue attacks on Israeli-linked vessels despite halting strikes on U.S. assets.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would stop its bombing campaign against the Iran-aligned Houthis. In return, the group agreed to cease attacks on U.S. ships. The announcement came after Oman confirmed it had helped mediate the ceasefire.
While no Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have been reported since January, Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters that the deal does not cover Israel:
"The agreement does not include Israel in any way, shape or form," he said.
"As long as they [the U.S.] stop their attacks and remain committed to that, we will also stop, as our actions were in self-defence."Later on Wednesday, a Houthi military spokesperson confirmed the group had launched drones targeting Israel and warned that attacks on U.S. interests would resume if American airstrikes resumed.
The Israeli military said it intercepted a drone launched from the east but did not specify the origin. Israeli media reported that a missile, believed to have been launched from Yemen, fell outside Israeli borders.
Though the ceasefire marks a de-escalation in U.S.-Houthi tensions, the agreement does not prohibit attacks on Israeli-affiliated vessels or other non-U.S. targets. Iran praised the development, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei thanking Oman for its diplomatic role and welcoming the “end of U.S. aggression” in Yemen.
Trump explained his decision during an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney:
"They said, 'Please don't bomb us anymore and we're not going to attack your ships.' And I will accept their word," he said. "We are going to stop bombing the Houthis effective immediately."Background: Gaza Conflict and Regional Escalation
The Houthis began targeting Israeli ships and Red Sea trade routes after Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023, attack.
Since launching Operation Rough Rider on March 15, the U.S. military has reportedly struck over 1,000 targets in Yemen, killing hundreds of Houthi fighters and several key leaders.
Tensions have recently spiked again. On Sunday, a Houthi missile landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port. This was followed by another Israeli strike on Sanaa’s main airport on Tuesday.
Under President Biden, the U.S. and UK had already launched retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets to safeguard the Red Sea trade route, which carries about 15% of global shipping traffic. After taking office in January, President Trump escalated U.S. military action against the group following renewed threats against Israeli vessels.
On April 28, a suspected U.S. airstrike hit a migrant center in Yemen, with Houthi sources reporting 68 deaths.