In a significant shift in U.S. military posture, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday, May 7, 2025, that American airstrikes targeting Houthi forces in Yemen would cease immediately, citing recent indications from the group that it no longer seeks conflict.
“We’re going to stop the bombing of the Houthis, effective immediately,” Trump said at the start of his Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The decision brings an abrupt halt to nearly two months of sustained U.S. military action, which began in March following Houthi threats to target Israeli-linked vessels. These threats came in response to Israel intensifying its blockade on the Gaza Strip. Trump at the time had vowed to respond with “overwhelming lethal force,” launching a campaign of strikes across key maritime regions.
The Houthis had previously identified their intended zones of engagement as the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Arabian Sea—areas critical to international shipping and global trade.
Now, Trump says the group has conveyed a clear shift in stance to U.S. officials.
“They don’t want to fight anymore. They just don’t want to fight. And we will honor that, and we will stop the bombings,” Trump said.
The pause marks a potential turning point in one of the region’s most complex flashpoints, although broader implications for regional security and maritime stability remain to be seen.
