Trump announces deal to stop bombing Houthis, end shipping attacks
President Donald Trump says the US will stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen after the Iran-aligned group agreed to stop interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East.
Following the announcement, Oman said it had mediated the ceasefire deal, marking a major shift in Houthi policy since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.
Photo shows
Four Houthis holding up rifles and wearing scarves around their heads.
The US has launched its biggest military operation in the Middle East against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis since Donald Trump took office. How did we get here?
Under the agreement, neither the US nor the Houthis would target the other, including US vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, Oman said in a statement.
The statement from Oman did not mention whether the Houthis had agreed to stop attacks on Israel.
The head of Yemen's Houthi Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, said the group would continue to support Gaza and that such attacks would continue.
"To all Zionists from now on, stay in shelters or leave to your countries immediately as your failed government will not be able to protect you after today," Houthi-run Al Masirah TV cited him as saying.
Separately, in a social media post on X, the head of Yemen's Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, said the US' halt of "aggression" against Yemen would be evaluated.
The US intensified strikes on Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis this year to stop attacks on Red Sea shipping.
Rights activists have raised concerns over civilian casualties.
"They said, please don't bomb us any more, and we're not going to attack your ships," Mr Trump said of the Houthis during an Oval Office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
"
And I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately.
"
Smoke billows after an Israeli air strike on Houthi infrastructure in Sana'a, Yemen on May 6.
(
Reuters: Khaled Abdullah
)
The Houthis have been firing at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea since Israel began its military offensive against Hamas in Gaza after the Palestinian militant group's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The US military has said it has struck more than 1,000 targets since its current operation in Yemen, known as Operation Rough Rider, started on March 15.
The strikes, the US military said, had killed "hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders."
Houthi, Israeli strikes
Tensions have been high since the Gaza war began but have risen further since a Houthi missile landed near Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, prompting Israeli air strikes on Yemen's Hodeidah port on Monday.
The Israeli military carried out an air strike on Yemen's main airport in Sana'a on Tuesday, its second attack in two days on Iran-aligned Houthi rebels after a surge in tensions between the group and Israel
Photo shows
Mark Carney and Donald Trump speak in the Oval Office.
The cordial tone of the leaders' meeting mostly belied the bitter trade war being fought by their countries.
Under former president Joe Biden's administration, the US and Britain retaliated with air strikes against Houthi targets in an effort to keep open the crucial Red Sea trading route — the path for about 15 per cent of global shipping traffic.
Trump did not say whether Britain had also agreed to the ceasefire.
After Trump became US president in January, he decided to significantly intensify air strikes against the Houthis.
The campaign came after the Houthis said they would resume attacks on Israeli ships passing through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
On April 28, a suspected US air strike hit a migrant centre in Yemen.
Houthi TV says 68 people were killed in one of the deadliest attacks in six weeks of intensified US strikes.
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The Advertiser
23 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Iran urges US to make Israel halt war as TV studio hit
Iran has called on US President Donald Trump to force Israel to cease fire as the only way to end the four-day-old aerial war while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is on the "path to victory" and an Israeli strike hit an Iranian television studio. Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defences with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy." Sources told Reuters that Iran had asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. Netanyahu told Israeli troops at an air base that Israel was on its way to achieving its two main aims: wiping out Iran's nuclear program and destroying its missiles. "We are on the path to victory," he said. "We are telling the citizens of Tehran: 'Evacuate' - and we are taking action." Israel launched its air war on Friday with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It has said it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate its campaign in coming days. An Iranian state television reporter had to stop a live broadcast on Monday when an explosion occurred an hour after Israel issued a warning to leave a part of Tehran where the TV studios are located. Presenter Sahar Emami of the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network rushed off-camera as the screen behind her cut out, and people were heard saying "Allahu akbar," the Arabic phrase for God is great. The broadcast quickly switched to pre-recorded programs. Soon, Emami came back live from another studio and was seen speaking with another anchor. She said that "bodies of reporters" were at the site of the initial broadcast, and images showed smoke and flames in the sky. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz took credit for the attack. "The Iranian regime's propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority was attacked by the IDF after a widespread evacuation of the area's residents," Katz said in a statement. "We will strike the Iranian dictator everywhere." Iran's retaliation is the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that missiles fired from Iran have pierced Israeli defences in significant numbers and killed Israelis in their homes. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Media published images of wounded children, women and the elderly from cities across the country. State TV broadcast scenes of collapsed presidential buildings, burned-out cars, and shattered streets in Tehran. Many residents were trying to flee the capital, describing queues for petrol and bank machines that were out of cash. "I am desperate. My two children are scared and cannot sleep at night because of the sound of air defence and attacks, explosions. But we have nowhere to go. We hid under our dining table," Gholamreza Mohammadi, 48, a civil servant, told Reuters by phone from Tehran. In Israel, 24 people have been killed so far in Iran's missile attacks, all of them civilians. "It's terrifying because it's so unknown," said Guydo Tetelbaum, 31, a chef in Tel Aviv who was in his apartment when the alerts came in shortly after 4am. with AP Iran has called on US President Donald Trump to force Israel to cease fire as the only way to end the four-day-old aerial war while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is on the "path to victory" and an Israeli strike hit an Iranian television studio. Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defences with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy." Sources told Reuters that Iran had asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. Netanyahu told Israeli troops at an air base that Israel was on its way to achieving its two main aims: wiping out Iran's nuclear program and destroying its missiles. "We are on the path to victory," he said. "We are telling the citizens of Tehran: 'Evacuate' - and we are taking action." Israel launched its air war on Friday with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It has said it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate its campaign in coming days. An Iranian state television reporter had to stop a live broadcast on Monday when an explosion occurred an hour after Israel issued a warning to leave a part of Tehran where the TV studios are located. Presenter Sahar Emami of the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network rushed off-camera as the screen behind her cut out, and people were heard saying "Allahu akbar," the Arabic phrase for God is great. The broadcast quickly switched to pre-recorded programs. Soon, Emami came back live from another studio and was seen speaking with another anchor. She said that "bodies of reporters" were at the site of the initial broadcast, and images showed smoke and flames in the sky. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz took credit for the attack. "The Iranian regime's propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority was attacked by the IDF after a widespread evacuation of the area's residents," Katz said in a statement. "We will strike the Iranian dictator everywhere." Iran's retaliation is the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that missiles fired from Iran have pierced Israeli defences in significant numbers and killed Israelis in their homes. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Media published images of wounded children, women and the elderly from cities across the country. State TV broadcast scenes of collapsed presidential buildings, burned-out cars, and shattered streets in Tehran. Many residents were trying to flee the capital, describing queues for petrol and bank machines that were out of cash. "I am desperate. My two children are scared and cannot sleep at night because of the sound of air defence and attacks, explosions. But we have nowhere to go. We hid under our dining table," Gholamreza Mohammadi, 48, a civil servant, told Reuters by phone from Tehran. In Israel, 24 people have been killed so far in Iran's missile attacks, all of them civilians. "It's terrifying because it's so unknown," said Guydo Tetelbaum, 31, a chef in Tel Aviv who was in his apartment when the alerts came in shortly after 4am. with AP Iran has called on US President Donald Trump to force Israel to cease fire as the only way to end the four-day-old aerial war while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is on the "path to victory" and an Israeli strike hit an Iranian television studio. Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defences with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy." Sources told Reuters that Iran had asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. Netanyahu told Israeli troops at an air base that Israel was on its way to achieving its two main aims: wiping out Iran's nuclear program and destroying its missiles. "We are on the path to victory," he said. "We are telling the citizens of Tehran: 'Evacuate' - and we are taking action." Israel launched its air war on Friday with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It has said it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate its campaign in coming days. An Iranian state television reporter had to stop a live broadcast on Monday when an explosion occurred an hour after Israel issued a warning to leave a part of Tehran where the TV studios are located. Presenter Sahar Emami of the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network rushed off-camera as the screen behind her cut out, and people were heard saying "Allahu akbar," the Arabic phrase for God is great. The broadcast quickly switched to pre-recorded programs. Soon, Emami came back live from another studio and was seen speaking with another anchor. She said that "bodies of reporters" were at the site of the initial broadcast, and images showed smoke and flames in the sky. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz took credit for the attack. "The Iranian regime's propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority was attacked by the IDF after a widespread evacuation of the area's residents," Katz said in a statement. "We will strike the Iranian dictator everywhere." Iran's retaliation is the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that missiles fired from Iran have pierced Israeli defences in significant numbers and killed Israelis in their homes. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Media published images of wounded children, women and the elderly from cities across the country. State TV broadcast scenes of collapsed presidential buildings, burned-out cars, and shattered streets in Tehran. Many residents were trying to flee the capital, describing queues for petrol and bank machines that were out of cash. "I am desperate. My two children are scared and cannot sleep at night because of the sound of air defence and attacks, explosions. But we have nowhere to go. We hid under our dining table," Gholamreza Mohammadi, 48, a civil servant, told Reuters by phone from Tehran. In Israel, 24 people have been killed so far in Iran's missile attacks, all of them civilians. "It's terrifying because it's so unknown," said Guydo Tetelbaum, 31, a chef in Tel Aviv who was in his apartment when the alerts came in shortly after 4am. with AP Iran has called on US President Donald Trump to force Israel to cease fire as the only way to end the four-day-old aerial war while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country is on the "path to victory" and an Israeli strike hit an Iranian television studio. Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Iranian cities while Iran proved capable of piercing Israeli air defences with one of its most successful volleys yet of retaliatory missile strikes. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy." Sources told Reuters that Iran had asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press Trump to use his influence on Israel to agree to an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. Netanyahu told Israeli troops at an air base that Israel was on its way to achieving its two main aims: wiping out Iran's nuclear program and destroying its missiles. "We are on the path to victory," he said. "We are telling the citizens of Tehran: 'Evacuate' - and we are taking action." Israel launched its air war on Friday with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It has said it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate its campaign in coming days. An Iranian state television reporter had to stop a live broadcast on Monday when an explosion occurred an hour after Israel issued a warning to leave a part of Tehran where the TV studios are located. Presenter Sahar Emami of the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network rushed off-camera as the screen behind her cut out, and people were heard saying "Allahu akbar," the Arabic phrase for God is great. The broadcast quickly switched to pre-recorded programs. Soon, Emami came back live from another studio and was seen speaking with another anchor. She said that "bodies of reporters" were at the site of the initial broadcast, and images showed smoke and flames in the sky. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz took credit for the attack. "The Iranian regime's propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority was attacked by the IDF after a widespread evacuation of the area's residents," Katz said in a statement. "We will strike the Iranian dictator everywhere." Iran's retaliation is the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that missiles fired from Iran have pierced Israeli defences in significant numbers and killed Israelis in their homes. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Media published images of wounded children, women and the elderly from cities across the country. State TV broadcast scenes of collapsed presidential buildings, burned-out cars, and shattered streets in Tehran. Many residents were trying to flee the capital, describing queues for petrol and bank machines that were out of cash. "I am desperate. My two children are scared and cannot sleep at night because of the sound of air defence and attacks, explosions. But we have nowhere to go. We hid under our dining table," Gholamreza Mohammadi, 48, a civil servant, told Reuters by phone from Tehran. In Israel, 24 people have been killed so far in Iran's missile attacks, all of them civilians. "It's terrifying because it's so unknown," said Guydo Tetelbaum, 31, a chef in Tel Aviv who was in his apartment when the alerts came in shortly after 4am. with AP
Sydney Morning Herald
35 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump's Russian delusion is complete. He sees Putin as a peacemaker
We know that Donald Trump has long had a soft spot for Vladimir Putin. But now it's almost as if he's given him a spot in his administration. The US president has said that Russia's Putin on the weekend had phoned to offer himself as a new peace mediator in the war between Israel and Iran: 'We had a long talk about it,' Trump told the American news network ABC. 'I would be open to it. He [Putin] is ready.' Trump himself has proved unable to negotiate an end to any of the conflicts he'd promised to resolve. So perhaps it's a good idea to let Putin try? French President Emmanuel Macron doesn't think so. 'I do not think that Russia, which is today engaged in a high-intensity conflict and has decided not to respect the United Nations charter for several years now, could be in any way a mediator,' he said. Fair point. And Putin has a favourite in the fight. Moscow is the most important foreign sponsor of Iran's ayatollah regime. Appointing Putin mediator would be like allowing a football team's coach to referee his own team's match. Russia has supplied Iran with air defence systems and weapons for many years. Iran has returned the favour by giving Russia thousands of drones for its war against Ukraine and even built a drone factory in Russia for Putin. Loading 'Putin has a keen interest in perpetuating the Iranian regime,' points out Peter Tesch, former Australian ambassador to Moscow. So, by attacking Iran now, 'Israel is posing a serious challenge to Russia's strategic interest in the country with which Russia recently signed a 20-year strategic agreement'.
The Age
39 minutes ago
- The Age
Trump's Russian delusion is complete. He sees Putin as a peacemaker
We know that Donald Trump has long had a soft spot for Vladimir Putin. But now it's almost as if he's given him a spot in his administration. The US president has said that Russia's Putin on the weekend had phoned to offer himself as a new peace mediator in the war between Israel and Iran: 'We had a long talk about it,' Trump told the American news network ABC. 'I would be open to it. He [Putin] is ready.' Trump himself has proved unable to negotiate an end to any of the conflicts he'd promised to resolve. So perhaps it's a good idea to let Putin try? French President Emmanuel Macron doesn't think so. 'I do not think that Russia, which is today engaged in a high-intensity conflict and has decided not to respect the United Nations charter for several years now, could be in any way a mediator,' he said. Fair point. And Putin has a favourite in the fight. Moscow is the most important foreign sponsor of Iran's ayatollah regime. Appointing Putin mediator would be like allowing a football team's coach to referee his own team's match. Russia has supplied Iran with air defence systems and weapons for many years. Iran has returned the favour by giving Russia thousands of drones for its war against Ukraine and even built a drone factory in Russia for Putin. Loading 'Putin has a keen interest in perpetuating the Iranian regime,' points out Peter Tesch, former Australian ambassador to Moscow. So, by attacking Iran now, 'Israel is posing a serious challenge to Russia's strategic interest in the country with which Russia recently signed a 20-year strategic agreement'.
