Houthis Urge Trump to Pay for Airstrike Damage, Reaffirm Targeting of Israeli Maritime Routes

Watan-Yemen’s Ministry of Health in Sanaa announced that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday targeting the capital and the provinces of Hudaydah and Amran has risen to 7 killed and 94 injured.

Amid rising regional tensions, Ansar Allah (the Houthi movement) issued statements addressing two key themes: fierce rejection of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that they had “surrendered,” and confirmation that their military support for Gaza would continue, including operations against Israeli maritime routes in the Red Sea.

Trump, speaking Tuesday from the White House after more than 50 days of what he described as a “crushing and deadly campaign,” claimed that the Houthis no longer wish to fight, and that the U.S. would cease its airstrikes in Yemen:

“They surrendered—and more importantly, we believe them. They say they won’t attack ships anymore, and that’s the point of what we were doing.”

However, Houthi leaders denied this narrative entirely, calling Trump’s remarks an admission of failure and an attempt to save face. They also hinted that any U.S. ceasefire is tied to Trump’s upcoming visit to the region.

In a statement via the Houthi-run SABA news agency, Mehdi Al-Mashat, head of the Supreme Political Council, said:“We informed the Americans, indirectly, that continued escalation would affect the criminal Trump’s visit to the region—and nothing more.”

He added:“If Trump wants to end his aggression and offer reparations, that’s up to him.”

Media reports suggest Saudi Arabia exerted heavy pressure on Washington to halt its Yemen strikes ahead of Trump’s visit, concerned about regional optics.

Some analysts, such as The Atlantic, speculated Iran may have backed a ceasefire proposal as a goodwill gesture in ongoing nuclear talks. However, Houthi leaders insist no formal agreement exists—only verbal understandings relayed via Omani mediation.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, head of the Houthi negotiating delegation, told Al-Masirah TV:“Our position hasn’t changed. It’s the Americans who have shifted theirs. Support for Gaza will not stop.”

He affirmed that Houthi maritime operations against Israeli vessels would persist, asserting:“American claims of surrender reflect weakness. They couldn’t even protect Israeli ships.”

Other Houthi figures, like political bureau member Diaa Al-Shami, dismissed Trump’s statement as an attempt to “cover up U.S. failure in Yemen,” while Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti told Bloomberg:

“Operations in the Red Sea and against Israel will continue regardless of consequences until the aggression and blockade on Gaza ends.”

Several Houthi officials framed the situation as a strategic win, separating U.S. backing from Israeli operations.

A senior U.S. official told Al Jazeera that the “understanding” with the Houthis was verbal, not formal, and was facilitated via Oman. The U.S. hopes this will restore freedom of navigation, while anticipating that Houthi attacks on Israel may continue.

Meanwhile, Israel expressed frustration after learning of the ceasefire from Trump’s public announcement. An Israeli official told Axios:“We weren’t informed in advance. Trump surprised us.”

Axios noted that the fragile truce follows months of U.S. escalation in the Middle East and retaliatory drone and missile exchanges that strained American logistics.

In a rare comment, Iran’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the Omani-mediated de-escalation, praising the resilience of Yemenis and condemning the U.S. as a complicit party in Israel’s crimes.
Iran called on the international community to intervene and stop attacks on Yemen’s infrastructure and civilians.

Finally, USNI News reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has extended the mission of the USS Harry S. Truman strike group in the Red Sea by another week.