In a surprise move, 12 days into their offensive against the vital Yemeni aid port of Hodeidah, the Saudi-led coalition has announced an immediate, albeit temporary, pause of the advance. Officials say this is meant to bolster peace talks.
Aid groups say they were able to get some food into the east of Hodeidah during the pause. It’s not clear how the peace effort is going, but the UN is making a last-ditch effort to get another round of talks going, and has promised an update Friday.
How long the peace will last is anyone’s guess, as the Saudis are threatening to restart the attacks on the port if they face any resistance from the Shi’ite Houthi movement. They also say attacks would resume if the peace progress isn’t fast enough for their tastes.
Oddly, Saudi coalition spokesman Col. Malki refused to either confirm or deny that the order for a pause was given, saying that operations are ongoing. All indications, however, are that the city is getting a brief break.
Most likely this means that the Saudis bungled their attack, and are re-grouping.
Probably they ran out if ammunition, possibly due to the Houthis.