Trump Says Airstrikes on Houthis Will End After Group ‘Capitulates’

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. airstrikes against the Iran-backed Houthi terror group in Yemen will end immediately following what he described as the Houthis’ "capitulation" and pledge to stop attacking international and U.S. ships.

“They’ve said, ‘please don’t bomb us anymore, and we’re not going to attack your ships,’” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. “They just don’t want to fight anymore.”

The president added that his administration would “take their word” and stop the bombing campaign, which has been active since early 2024 in response to over 100 Houthi attacks on international cargo ships, tankers, and U.S. naval vessels in the wake of Hamas’ October 7 assault on Israel.

“That’s what the purpose of what we were doing,” Trump said. “They were knocking out a lot of ships sailing beautifully down the various seas.”

Trump's move is a strategic de-escalation following months of targeted airstrikes that destroyed more than 800 Houthi targets and eliminated hundreds of fighters and field commanders. The campaign was a joint effort with U.S. allies and supported by Israeli airstrikes, which continued this week.

Though Houthi political leaders have made conflicting statements, including claims that they will continue operations “in support of Gaza,” the Trump administration sees the cessation of ship attacks as a clear tactical victory.

“This was always a freedom of navigation issue,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “If it’s going to stop, then we can stop.”

The move comes just after a major Israeli airstrike disabled Sanaa International Airport, described by the IDF as a “central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime.” Israel also hit Hudaydah Port, concrete plants used for tunnel construction, and power stations repurposed for terrorist infrastructure.

The Houthis' missile attack on Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport, which wounded six civilians and temporarily grounded flights, had prompted the latest round of Israeli retaliation. The IDF noted that while the missile evaded interception due to a rare malfunction, their systems maintain a 95% success rate against threats from Yemen.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz didn’t mince words:

“Iran will bear direct responsibility for any attack by the Houthi tentacle against the State of Israel.”

Trump, meanwhile, reasserted America’s global deterrence posture. Upon taking office, he reinstated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, reversing Joe Biden’s inexplicable decision to delist the group in 2021.

This latest development underscores a major foreign policy contrast: Trump acts with clarity, resolve, and strength, achieving results through pressure backed by force, not diplomacy-for-the-sake-of-it.

Critics will argue the Houthis can't be trusted. But the facts remain ship attacks have stopped, Red Sea commerce is stabilizing, and Iran's proxy just blinked.

The message is simple Under Trump, America strikes hard, speaks directly, and walks away on its own terms.

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