Trump Cancels Planned Airstrikes Against Houthi Rebels in Yemen

President Donald Trump canceled planned large-scale airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Sunday, halting the operation after military commanders had approved target lists and munitions were being loaded onto aircraft. The decision followed a period of rapid fluctuation; Trump initially opposed the strikes but reversed course on Thursday after a personal plea from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. By midday Sunday, Trump reversed his position a second time, stating the Houthis had indicated they did not wish to fight the United States.

The military tension follows a Houthi offensive that seized the port of Mocha and key areas near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, threatening global energy supplies. The rebels also launched a ballistic missile at Riyadh, causing fires at fuel storage tanks at King Khalid International Airport, and targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi characterized the Saudi regime as an "occupying power," while Houthi official Mohamed al-Bukhaiti asserted that Yemen is now capable of waging an international war.

While the United States Department of Defense provided intelligence and targeting data, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated the U.S. would not join offensive strikes. Meanwhile, the Group of Seven condemned the Houthi strikes and demanded that Iran cease arming the movement. Iran responded to the tension by warning that any U.S. offensive would trigger retaliation and by delivering peace terms to Washington via Qatar. The United States Department of the Treasury simultaneously announced secondary sanctions to cut Iranian airlines off from the global system.