A confusing US peace deal, explained

Welcome to The Logoff: Today Joshua Keating and I are focusing on a surprising ceasefire agreement between the US and the Houthis, a pact that signals a new direction in the Trump administration’s approach to a multiyear military struggle in the Middle East.

What’s the context? Since late 2023, the Houthis — an Iran-backed militia group that controls much of Yemen — have been attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea, US military forces, and Israel. The strikes, which started shortly after Hamas’s October 7 attack in Israel and the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, have complicated international shipping and added further instability to a volatile region.

Under the Biden administration, the US carried out some strikes against the Houthis, but the Trump team has been bombing them near daily since mid-March.