CNN
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President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the US will “stop the bombing” of Iran-backed Hooty rebel groups in Yemen.
“We respect that and stop the bombing,” Trump said from his oval office, sitting next to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Kearney. He was referring to the military campaign the US has been running against Houthis since mid-March in response to group attacks on Red Sea and Israeli shipping vehicles.
“They surrendered, but more importantly, we’ll receive their words… They say they won’t blow the ship any more,” Trump said.
Defense officials confirmed to CNN that the US troops were instructed to stand up a strike against the Hoosis on Monday night.
Israel has been attacking targets in Yemen this week. It responds to a Houssis that launched a ballistic missile on Sunday, which hit Israel’s major airport.
Trump’s announcement on Tuesday came after a recent gust of diplomatic activity between the US, Oman and the Houtis, according to people familiar with the issue. People said the understanding between the US and the Houtis that they will not attack each other is aimed at building momentum for Iran’s nuclear deal talks. The timing of the fourth round of Iran’s nuclear deal between the US and Iran remains unknown.
In his remarks in the oval office, Trump instructed the Secretary of State and national security adviser Marco Rubio to “notify everyone.” Rubio described understanding as “an important development.”
President Trump’s special mission, Steve Witkov, led Iranian consultations and worked last week to mediate a ceasefire with the Houtis, sources said. They added that the consultation was facilitated by the Omani people. He has been a routine intermediary between the United States and the Houches for the past few years.
The standdown is expected to serve as momentum towards talks between the US and Iran across Iran over Iran’s nuclear deal, familiar people said.
The talks with Houthis were most directly spurred last week by X’s posting by Defense Secretary Pete Hegses, who wrote that if Iran continues to “continue to make “fatal support to Houthis” Iran “pay the results at the time and place of our choice.”
“We know exactly what you’re doing,” wrote Hegses. “You know very well what the US military can do.”
The suspension of US military operations against Houthis comes as the campaign has been struggling since its inception. In just seven weeks, extremists have successfully fired down at least seven or more million-dollar American drones, impeding their ability to move into “Phase 2” of the US operation, several US officials familiar with the issue told CNN. The impact of the strike on Houthis’ operations was also limited, officials previously told CNN.
CNN has contacted Houthis for comment.
It is unclear what the ceasefire between the US and the Houtis would mean for Israel. Israel is engaged in escalating the fight against Iran-backed rebel groups. For months, Houthis has been firing ballistic missiles and drones in Israel, most of which have been intercepted by Israeli air defense systems. Israel has taken several strikes against Yemen’s Houtis.
However, Sunday’s missiles invaded Israeli missile shields and attacked near Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to respond, saying, “It’s not finished with just one thing.” On Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a series of strikes against Yemen’s Hodeida port and a nearby cement factory.
Then on Tuesday, the IDF launched an even bigger strike campaign, saying the military has “completely” voided Yemen’s international airport and is targeting “several” power plants. Houthi leader Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti promised retaliation against the Israelis, telling Al Arabiya TV on Tuesday that he “meets the escalation and escalation.”
CNN contacted the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office for comment.
Oren Liebermann of CNN contributed to this report.