Ceasefire takes hold in Yemen

Aid agencies began delivering help to desperate civilians yesterday as a temporary ceasefire took hold in Yemen after nearly seven weeks of Saudi-led air strikes against Iran-backed rebels.

The five-day humanitarian pause -- which began at 11:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Tuesday -- is the first break in the air war in support of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi since its launch on March 26 and has strong backing from Washington.

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Saudi Arabia's King Salman also used the first day of the pause to announce the doubling of the kingdom's aid commitment to Yemen to some $540 million.

More than 1,500 people have been killed since the conflict began in March, according to UN.