Saudi Arabia proposes 5-day Yemen ceasefire

Saudi Arabia yesterday proposed a five-day humanitarian ceasefire in Yemen to allow aid deliveries, and the United States called on Iran-backed Huthi rebels to accept the offer.

Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, whose country is leading a coalition conducting air strikes on the Yemen rebels, announced the proposal after talks with visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry.

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Jubeir said he had informed his American counterpart of "the kingdom's idea of a five-day ceasefire in Yemen to coordinate with international organisations to deliver aid to Yemen if the Huthis and their allies commit to this and do not carry out acts of aggression".
The date for its start "will soon be set," he added.

Iran is accused of supporting the Shia Huthi rebels, who are also backed by army units loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. 
Weeks of coalition air strikes have prompted growing concerns over increasing civilian deaths and a mounting humanitarian crisis.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia said all options were open including ground operations to stop mortar attacks on its border towns by Yemen's Houthi militia.

"It is possible to repeat the same number of sorties, a land operation is possible, all options are open to prevent these practices of the militias," military spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri told TV channel al-Arabiya late on Wednesday.

More than 100 Saudi soldiers were killed during a 2009-10 border war between the kingdom and the Houthis, which included ground fighting in frontier villages. In this conflict 10 Saudi army and border guards troops have died in mortar strikes.