Yemen rebels announce three-day ceasefire after Saudi attacks

SANAA: Yemen’s Huthi rebels announced a three-day truce on Saturday and dangled the prospect of a “permanent” ceasefire if the Saudi-led coalition ends its operations against the impoverished country.

The statement came a day after a wave of drone and missile attacks hit targets across Saudi Arabia including an oil plant near the Formula One race in Jeddah, triggering an inferno.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said earlier that the group conducted missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) strikes in various locations in Saudi Arabia, including the capital, Riyadh.

Rebel political leader Mahdi al-Mashat announced the “suspension of missile and drone strikes and all military actions for a period of three days.

“And we are ready to turn this declaration into a final and permanent commitment in the event that Saudi Arabia commits to ending the siege and stopping its raids on Yemen once and for all.”

There was no immediate response from Saudi Arabia, which retaliated to Friday’s attacks by launching air strikes against Sanaa and Hodeida and destroying four explosives-laden boats.

The truce came on the seventh anniversary of the Saudi-led coalition´s intervention to support Yemen´s government after the Huthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014.