ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday commended Oman for making "diplomatic efforts" to mediate between the US and Yemen’s Houthis.

Oman announced on Tuesday that it mediated a ceasefire deal between the US and Iran-backed Houthis. According to the terms agreed upon, neither side will target the other, including US vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi said that, under the agreement, "neither side would target each other," while the Houthis would ensure "freedom of navigation and the smooth flow of international commercial shipping" in the Red Sea.

The truce does not mention Houthi attacks on Israel.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump confirmed the ceasefire, saying the Houthis had agreed to stop attacking them.

"They said please don’t bomb us any more and we’re not going to attack your ships,” Trump said. “And I will accept their word, and we are going to stop the bombing of the Houthis effective immediately.”

Iraq "welcomes the diplomatic efforts made by the Sultanate of Oman in mediating between the United States and the relevant authorities in Sanaa, which come within the framework of supporting constructive dialogue and peaceful solutions to regional crises,” reads a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

The Iraqi government "calls for enhancing peace and stability in the region, bringing viewpoints closer, and building bridges of trust between the various parties, thus contributing to mutual understanding."

Battered by US and, as of recently, British airstrikes, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have continued to fight against what they describe as “Israeli-American aggression."

The Houthis began a campaign targeting international shipping in the wake of the Palestinian group Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, with over 100 merchant vessels having been targeted by Houthi militants in the period since.

In addition to previous missile launches, the Yemeni militant group has previously claimed successful drone attacks against Tel Aviv.