RIYADH: Saudi Arabia gave a “positive” response on Friday to a truce offer from Houthi rebels in Yemen and called for its implementation.

Since 2015, Riyadh has led a military coalition in support of Yemen’s internationally recognised government against the Houthis, who are backed by Iran.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, most of them civilians, according to humanitarian organisations, and left Yemen faced with what the UN terms the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

“The truce announced in Yemen is perceived positively by the kingdom, as this is what it has always sought, and hopes it will be implemented effectively,” vice defence minister Prince Khalid bin Salman wrote on Twitter.

On Sept 21, the Houthis announced they were ready to make peace with Riyadh, later repeating their offer despite continued Saudi-led coalition air strikes.

Saudi Arabia has said it would judge the Houthis on their “actions and not by their words”.

On Monday, Houthi rebels freed 290 prisoners under an exchange that was part of a de-escalation accord struck in Sweden in December 2018.

Prince Khalid also accused Iran of exploiting the situation in Yemen and “evading responsibility for their terrorist acts”. The Houthis claimed responsibility for attacks on Sept 14 against two key Saudi oil installations, which temporarily knocked out half of the OPEC giant’s production.

Riyadh and Washington, however, blamed Iran for the attacks, a charge denied by Tehran.

Gulf military leaders have condemned the use of their countries’ airspace to carry out the attacks. Chiefs of Staff of the militaries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia and five of its smaller neighbours, met on Thursday at Riyadh’s request.

They condemned the attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, and earlier attacks on shipping in the Gulf. Their statement also condemned “the violation of some countries’ airspace to carry out the recent attacks on the kingdom”.

That supports Washington’s account of the attacks, since evidence that missiles or drones used to hit Saudi Arabia had passed through the airspace of one of its Gulf neighbours to the east could prove they did not come from Yemen to the south.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2019