Yemen’s Houthis agree to cease-fire

SANAA, Yemen – Yemen’s Houthi rebels said Sunday that they would accept a five-day humanitarian cease-fire proposed by Saudi Arabia, even as a new round of Saudi airstrikes targeted the home of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key Houthi supporter.

Saleh, once a Saudi ally, denounced the “cowardly” attacks and for the first time publicly declared his allegiance to Ansar Allah, as the Houthis are known.

Statements from various Houthi leaders and their military allies in Yemen indicated that the rebel group would cooperate with the proposed cease-fire, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday. Saudi officials proposed the cease-fire last week.

But it still remained unclear how the truce would take hold in the war-ravaged nation, where fighting involving various armed factions is raging along multiple fronts as Saudi-led airstrikes have caused massive damage and loss of life.

Both sides in the conflict have warned that any violations of the planned cease-fire would bring renewed attacks.

United Nations aid officials had called for a cease-fire to help ease the suffering of civilians in the Arab world’s poorest nation, wracked by shortages of food, fuel and medicine since the Saudi-led bombing began on March 26.

Saudi Arabia, whose leadership views neighboring Yemen as part of its sphere of influence, says its bombardment is meant to restore the internationally backed government of ousted President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who is now in exile in Saudi Arabia. The Obama administration has supported the Saudi bombing campaign.