Oman helped pave the way for a ceasefire between the US and the Iran-backed Houthis. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi wrote that he was pleased that Oman’s mediation efforts had ended the conflict, which reignited on March 15 when the US decided to begin wide-ranging airstrikes on the group.
The US had been carrying out strikes over the past year and a half as part of an operation called Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea, aimed at protecting shipping. However, in March, Washington decided to go a step further.
Oman wanted to help end this conflict because it is a key player in the Iran-US talks that have taken place over the past month. It has sponsored the discussions and wants to show that they can succeed. Therefore, it appears that Muscat pushed to bring the Houthis to an agreement.
Oman worked with US envoy Steve Witkoff, who is also a key part of the Iran negotiations, the Ukraine and Russia meetings, the Gaza ceasefire discussion, and talks in Azerbaijan. Witkoff is the Trump administration’s key problem solver on many issues.
Muscat hosted two rounds of the US-Iran talks, but there have been some hurdles recently. Washington is demanding that Tehran dismantle its nuclear program, which has angered the Islamic Republic, whose foreign minister slammed Jerusalem, accusing Israel and pro-Israel voices of sabotaging the discussions.
Last Thursday, Oman announced that the meeting scheduled for this past Saturday was postponed to a later date. On Sunday, the Houthis launched a ballistic missile targeting Ben-Gurion Airport.
Israel had refrained from strikes on Yemen since the US began its attacks on March 15, instead concentrating on Gaza since renewing operations on March 18. Jerusalem chose to respond to the May 4 attack with strikes on May 5 and then an attack on Sanaa International Airport on May 6. Meanwhile, Oman was working to end the US-Houthi conflict.
A ceasefire agreement between the US and Houthis
The Omani foreign minister said, “Following recent discussions and contacts conducted by the Sultanate of Oman with the United States and the relevant authorities in Sanaa in the Republic of Yemen with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides.”
He continued, “In the future, neither side will target the other, including American vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, ensuring freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping. The Sultanate of Oman expresses its gratitude to both parties for their constructive approach that led to this welcome outcome and hopes that it will lead to further progress on many regional issues toward achieving justice, peace, and prosperity for all.”
OMAN IS trying to hand a win to the US and the Houthis to show that it can get a deal done. It will then try to use this momentum to build confidence and leverage to help Tehran and Washington agree on a deal.
US President Donald Trump appreciates Muscat’s work on this issue, as the bombing campaign, launched from its two aircraft carriers in the region, the USS Harry Truman and the USS Carl Vinson, was not going anywhere.
Trump on Tuesday made the surprise announcement that the US was ending strikes on the Houthis. This has left Israelis wondering whether the Houthis will stop their attacks on Israel.
Washington has supplied Jerusalem with support and air defenses since the Houthi attacks began. For instance, the US THAAD missile defense system is in Israel. It also backed the development of Arrow, the main Israeli system being used against the Houthi missile threat.
The reason the US intervened in Yemen was because of threats to shipping. Since the early 20th century, the US has sought to guarantee freedom of navigation. Therefore, the US policy was not tethered to Israel but to historical needs to defend shipping.
The work by Oman has been praised in the region, including a statement from Doha lauding Muscat. Trump is expected to visit the Middle East soon, and Qatar and other countries will be watching closely what he does next. They want a US-Iran deal to reduce tensions in the region.
Oman also has an interest in peace in Yemen, and it has hosted talks in the past. During former US president Joe Biden’s term, his special envoy for Yemen, Tim Lenderking, had traveled to the region, including to Muscat, because it was backing talks with the Houthis.
Oman wants peace and an end to attacks on shipping and hopes to use this as a building block to a potential Iran deal. Witkoff’s role also illustrates his success at getting a deal. The envoy also played the key role in the hostage deal in January, days before Trump’s inauguration, that helped bring home 33 hostages to Israel between January 20 and March 1.