The rebel militia that has brought Western-based Red Sea shipping to a halt said it has not agreed to cease attacks on vessels transiting the Middle East trade route.
The statements Tuesday by Yemen’s Houthi militia contradicted comments by President Donald Trump, who said during a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House that “they didn’t want to fight anymore. They have capitulated, but more importantly, we will take their word. They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore.”
The Houthis, who have attacked shipping they claim is linked to Israel since late 2023, dismissed Trump’s assertions.
“Abdulsalam confirmed that the U.S. had sent messages through Oman asking Yemen to halt military operations targeting the Israeli entity. However, he emphasized that Yemen’s stance remains unchanged,” Houthi media reported.
“These claims are a reflection of Washington’s frustration after failing to protect Israeli ships and contain the fallout of its involvement,” said Mohammed Abdulsalam, the head of Yemen’s national delegation.
Container shipping lines have said the Red Sea-Suez Canal route remains too unstable to resume scheduled services. A notable exception is CMA CGM of France, which has maintained regular voyages throughout much of the crisis.
The Houthis, who control about 40% of Yemen, have not attacked merchant shipping since late 2024, focusing on direct missile attacks on Israel instead. American forces this year stepped up bombing of Houthi positions inside Yemen and were joined recently by British forces. Earlier this month, the aircraft USS Harry S. Truman lost a fighter jet overboard when the ship reportedly made a maneuver to evade a Houthi missile attack.
The Houthis paused their actions earlier this year after Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The rebels resumed their attacks when that ceasefire fell apart.
Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.
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