A humanitarian five-day ceasefire in Yemen will be brought into effect as from this Tuesday in case the Houthi militants agreed to it mainly through stopping violence and regrouping, Saudi foreign minister said on Friday.
At a press conference with US counterpart in Paris, Adel Al-Jubair said the ceasefire will pave the way for delivery of aid for the Yemenis affected by recent violence. It could be extended if required, he added.
At the press conference, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he will hold talks with officials from Iran and Russia so that the two countries put pressure on the Houthi militants to respect the truce.
The humanitarian situation has largely deteriorated due to ongoing battles between pro-government and pro-Houthi fighters as well as airstrikes and a blockade on all Yemeni ports by Arab countries.
The Saudi-led Arab countries intervened militarily in Yemen after the Houthi militants had ousted the transition president and government.
The blockade aimed at preventing the Houthi militants from receiving weapons has aggravated lacks of foods, fuels and medicines.
Owing to the fuel shortage, hospitals, power plants and businesses have shut down and transport means vanished in most of the country's cities including the capital Sanaa.
In recent days, relief organizations warned their operations would stop because of the fuel shortage while urging sea, air and land routes be reopened immediately in the country.
Meanwhile, Arab fighter jets are intensifying airstrikes on the Saada city, the stronghold of the Houthi militant group.
The airstrikes are a revenge after Houthi militants attacked two Saudi border cities killing several civilians and policemen in the past few days.
The Arab countries declared all Saada as a target calling on residents to stay away from Houthi military camps and leaders' residences.
Local sources in Saada said tens of thousands of families have been fleeing and others are stuck in the city as they can't leave quickly due to the lack of transport, money and refuges.
In the past 24 hours, jets targeted Houthi leadership installations, military camps, weapon depots and factories and telecommunications and military operations centres.
The grave of the founder of the Houthi group, Hussein Badr Al-Din Al-Houthi who was killed by the Yemeni army in 2004, was destroyed by Arab jets as well, sources said.