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Intel: Why cease-fire deal won’t stop Yemen’s suffering

Abdullah al-Khawlani puts roses on the grave of his son, Waleed, who was killed by last month's Saudi-led air strike that killed dozens including children in Saada, Yemen September 4, 2018. His other son, Hafidh, who survived the strike, looks on. Picture taken September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Naif Rahma - RC164F27C730

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen reportedly brokered an informal deal to cease hostilities around Hodeidah on Tuesday. The deal has held for the past 24 hours after 150 people died in daylong clashes in the port city, which handles 70% of aid entering the war-torn country.

Why it matters: After Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced that the United States would stop refueling Saudi and Emirati warplanes in Yemen, the deal leaves open a tiny window for UN-led peace talks in Yemen.

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