Trump Administration Announces Ceasefire With Houthis After Seven-Week Bombing; Israel Not Informed, Sanaa Airport Damaged

The Trump administration announced a ceasefire agreement with the Houthi rebels in Yemen, surprising Israeli officials who were not informed in advance. The announcement marked an end to a near-daily, seven-week bombing campaign against the Houthis. According to reports, the deal was a verbal understanding focused on halting mutual attacks and ensuring no harm to U.S. interests, but the Houthis did not commit to ceasing attacks on Israel. Israeli officials expressed shock and concern over the U.S. decision, with some sources indicating Israel remains free to continue its own operations against the Iran-backed Houthis. The ceasefire is expected to restore freedom of navigation, although the Houthis are believed to continue their assaults on Israel. Additionally, Israeli airstrikes recently caused approximately $500 million in damages to Sanaa airport. U.S. officials noted that the Houthis’ capacity to launch attacks has diminished due to prior U.S. strikes, despite their targeting of Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. The announcement also caught many Republican lawmakers by surprise, with skepticism about the Houthis' reliability in upholding the agreement.