US President Donald Trump announced on 6 May that the U.S. would halt its bombing campaign against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, following a reported ceasefire agreement brokered by Oman.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have agreed to stop targeting key maritime routes in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait. Trump stated that the Houthis requested an end to U.S. airstrikes and promised not to attack U.S. vessels, prompting the immediate cessation of the U.S. military operation.
Despite the ceasefire, Houthi leaders made it clear that their hostility toward Israel would persist. Houthi Supreme Political Council head Mahdi al-Mashat vowed continued attacks in support of Gaza, and their media issued warnings to Israelis to seek shelter or leave the country, Reuters reports.
In recent months, the Red Sea has witnessed a resurgence of commercial maritime activity following a period of intense security threats, primarily from Houthi rebel attacks targeting international vessels. These assaults, often involving drones and missiles, had forced major shipping companies to divert routes around the Cape of Good Hope. However, a full-on return of traffic to the Red Sea is still unlikely for the near future, as, despite the agreement, tensions have not yet surely stabilized.
