Trump says Houthis don’t want to fight anymore, calls off airstrikes

President Trump said Tuesday that the Houthis have informed his administration they want to stop fighting, announcing that strikes on the rebel group have been called off.

“We had some very good news last night. The Houthis have announced … or they announced to us at least that they don’t want to fight anymore. They just don’t want to fight, and we will honor that. And will stop the bombings,” Trump said, alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office.

“They have capitulated, but more importantly we will take their word. They say they will not be blowing up ships anymore,” he added.

“I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis, effective immediately.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sitting to the side of the president, argued the campaign against the Houthis in Yemen was about a “freedom of navigation issue,” reiterating that strikes will stop.

“A band of individuals with advanced weaponry that were threatening global shipping, and the job was to get that to stop. If it’s going to stop, then we can stop. So, I think it's an important development,” Rubio added.

Houthi rebels had been targeting shipping in the Red Sea, and the U.S. has engaged in ongoing strikes against the group. The U.S. air campaign against the military group began in March.