Yemen ceasefire goes into effect in strategic port city of Hodeidah

The ceasefire was reached last week in Stockholm after a round of UN-sponsored talks — the first direct talks in more than two years between representatives of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which Saudi Arabia supports, and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

The December 13 agreement stipulated an immediate ceasefire in Hodeidah, a major flashpoint in the country’s war. The besieged rebel-held port city is an entry point for 70% of foreign humanitarian aid into the country, according to the United Nations, which has described Hodeidah as a “lifeline” for Yemen’s war-ravaged population.