Houthis halt missile strikes amid push for Yemen peace

Hunt seeks support from Iran to end humanitarian crisis as UN debates ceasefire proposal

YEMEN’S warring sides looked closer to a truce yesterday after Britain led a two-pronged diplomatic charge at the United Nations and in Tehran.

The UK submitted a draft resolution to the UN’S security council calling for a ceasefire in the port city of Hodeida, and setting a two-week deadline for both the Iran-aligned Houthis and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to remove all barriers to aid.

The proposal would significantly ratchet up the pressure on both parties to end the three-year war that has killed more than 10,000 people and caused a humanitarian crisis.

Fighting has escalated in recent weeks in Hodeida, which is controlled by the Houthis and is a key point of entry for aid and imports to Yemen – leaving millions on the brink of starvation.

Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, was in Iran yesterday to ask it to push the Houthis to the negotiating table.

“We are very, very keen to move towards peace in Yemen. That’s our number one priority at the moment,” Mr Hunt said after meeting his Iranian counterpart, Javid Zarif.

“The humanitarian nightmare cannot continue,” Mr Zarif said. “All the Yemenis are prepared to come to the negotiating table provided the [Saudiled] coalition enables them to do so.”

In another promising sign, the Houthi rebels agreed on Sunday to halt all drone and missile strikes.

A statement by the rebels added that they were ready to move towards a wider ceasefire if “the Saudi-led coalition wants peace”.

The Houthis’ decision to halt missile attacks is by far the biggest concession from the group since it left the southern port city of Aden in 2015 and could prove to be a turning point as it ends a direct threat to Saudi Arabia.

Several sources have told The Daily Telegraph that Saudi Arabia, whose Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wants to see a military victory in Yemen, signalled it will work to block the UN resolution or at least have it watered down.

But, in public at least, Saudi Arabia has issued its support for talks between the two sides. The Crown Prince, speaking in Riyadh yesterday for his annual state of the union-style address, said he supported UN efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.

“This is a crucial moment for Yemen,” UN envoy Martin Griffiths told the Security Council.

“I have received firm assurances from the leadership of the Yemeni parties that they are committed to attending these consultations. I believe they are genuine.”

The US and UK are working to capitalise on what they see as new leverage with Saudi Arabia to end the civil war.

They are attempting to use an opening created by the kingdom’s pariah status following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to pressure their ally to end its bombing campaign in the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, Germany yesterday added its name to the list of countries that have imposed travel bans on the 18 suspects believed to be responsible for The Washington Post columnist’s murder at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.

No date has yet been set for the talks, although they are expected to convene later this year in Stockholm.

‘We are very, very keen to move towards peace in Yemen. That’s our number one priority at the moment’