Trump halts military strikes on Houthis but expert warns Iran-backed terrorist group remains major threat
Share this @internewscast.com

President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced this week that the United States will cease all bombing campaigns on the Houthi group in Yemen, following weeks of intensive strikes. However, experts caution that the Iran-supported faction is unlikely to remain inactive.

During Trump’s announcement from the Oval Office on Tuesday, he stated that the Houthis “just don’t want to fight…and we will honor that. We will stop the bombings.”

The president declined to reveal who had informed him of this decision from the group, which has long posed a significant threat to freedom of navigation by attacking U.S. and allied ships in the Red Sea. When questioned, he humorously responded that it came from a “very good source.”

Less than two hours later, Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, the foreign minister of Oman, took to X to say, “Following recent discussions and contacts conducted by the Sultanate of Oman with the United States and the relevant authorities in Sana’a, in the Republic of Yemen, with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.”

houthis red sea

Houthi supporters gather to attend a rally in protest of the United States’ airstrikes on Yemen and Israel’s ongoing strikes in the Gaza Strip in Sanaa, Yemen, on Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman)

Jonathan Schanzer, a former terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the current executive director of the FDD, called Oman’s role in negotiations between Washington and Middle East adversaries “outrageous.” 

“To hold them up as responsible intermediaries when they are in fact hosting the very group that we’re trying to dismantle, there’s very little logic [in] this position,” he told Fox News Digital.

The report found that Iranian arms are smuggled into Yemen through the port of Hodeidah – which was targeted in a series of Israeli strikes on major infrastructure in and around the Houthi-controlled capital of Sana’a this week – but also through smaller ports or overland through Oman.

Omani private banking institutions and businesses are also reportedly known to be “servicing the Houthi economy and even supplying the group with arms.” 

“More must be done to prevent bulk cash smuggling across the border between Oman and Yemen,” Heistein found. “Muscat must begin to feel pressure from the international community to address a threat finance challenge that has gone unchecked for too long.”

The report breaks down the varied steps that need to be taken to effectively undermine and counter the Houthis as repeated military strikes by first, Saudi Arabia starting in 2015, then recently by the U.S. and Israel, have not significantly degraded the terrorist group.

Houthi militants stomping on US, UK flags

Houthi fighters walk over British and U.S flags at a rally in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and the recent Houthi strikes on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden on Feb. 4, 2024, on the outskirts of Sana’a, Yemen. (Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images)

Those steps include continued military action – similar to Israel’s recent strikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah port and Sana’a International Airport, which are expected to have far-reaching economic impacts and increase internal pressure on the Houthis. But military action alone isn’t enough; economic, diplomatic, and other soft power strategies are also needed to weaken the group, according to the report. 

The report also highlighted that the Houthis have utilized previous lulls in fighting with nations like Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Israel to regroup and rebuild. 

“Compelling the Houthis to halt attacks on shipping is a meaningful achievement only if it is part of a broader, long-term strategy,” Heistein told Fox News Digital. “However, if a Red Sea ceasefire becomes the centerpiece and endpoint of U.S. policy toward the Houthis, it risks empowering an increasingly dangerous regime to escalate and de-escalate at will.

 “Without a comprehensive approach to addressing the Houthi threat, the U.S. and its allies could soon be confronting a more dangerous, better-armed terrorist group,” Heinstein warned. 

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Court Ordered Colleen Wise Removed From Election

Colleen Wise Disqualified: Court Ruling Removes Candidate from Election Ballot

Colleen Wise was removed from the Board of her neighborhood’s Home Owners’…
Maduro at military parade

Senators Move to Halt Trump’s Military Actions in Venezuela

On Friday, a bipartisan coalition of Senators introduced measures to prevent President…
Watch live: 'No Kings' protests held across the country

Join the Movement: ‘No Kings’ Nationwide Protests Streamed Live – What You Need to Know

With over 2,500 events planned across the nation, tune in here for…
Cyndi Lauper reveals why she was 'asked to leave' her Catholic school

Cyndi Lauper Opens Up About Her Expulsion from Catholic School and the Surprising Reason Behind It

Girls just want to have fun, but sometimes that fun comes with…
Routine school day turns tragic as staffer dies after student allegedly boots her in chest: DA

Tragic School Incident: Staff Member Dies After Alleged Student Assault

A tragic incident unfolded in a Massachusetts school, resulting in the death…
'No Kings' protest Chicago today: Thousands to gather in Grant Park to oppose Donald Trump administration, Chicago ICE arrests

Chicago Unites: Thousands Rally in Grant Park to Protest Trump’s Policies and ICE Actions

CHICAGO (WLS) — Organizers behind the “No Kings” movement anticipate a large…
Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Alex Murdaugh's money man, Charles Manson's cult, 'Smiley Face' killer theory

Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Insights into Alex Murdaugh’s Financial Confidant, Charles Manson’s Cult, and the ‘Smiley Face’ Killer Hypothesis

MIRACULOUS ESCAPE: A chilling video has surfaced showing a gunman stalking a…
'No Kings' protest Chicago: Demonstrators preparing to gather downtown in Grant Park on Saturday to oppose Trump administration

Demonstrators Set to Convene in Grant Park for ‘No Kings’ Protest Against Trump Administration

CHICAGO — On Saturday, the organizers of the “No Kings” protest anticipate…
Texas teens arrested in killing of Marine veteran working as rideshare driver

Texas Teens Charged in Tragic Murder of Marine Veteran Rideshare Driver

Authorities have apprehended three teenage boys in connection with the tragic death…
Matthew Cuadra, April Valencia killed, 3 hurt in car crash near 75th and Vincennes in Greater Grand Crossing, Chicago: officials

Tragic Car Accident in Greater Grand Crossing: Two Dead, Three Injured Near 75th and Vincennes, Chicago Officials Report

CHICAGO (WLS) — A tragic accident on Chicago’s South Side claimed two…
Foster Farms expands corn dog recall

Foster Farms Expands Recall: Corn Dogs Pulled from Shelves Nationwide Over Safety Concerns

In a concerning health alert, injuries linked to pieces of wood found…
Alaska storm damage so bad many evacuees won’t go home for at least 18 months, governor says

Alaska Storm Leaves Extensive Damage, Delaying Return for Evacuees by Up to 18 Months, Governor Reports

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The destruction wrought by last weekend’s flooding in…