War in Yemen: fighting resumes in key port of Hudaydah

Fighting erupted in the Yemeni town of Hudaydah, despite the fact that the Saudi-led military coalition and the Houthi rebels agreed to end the offensives.

The coalition's planes resumed bombing as a result of clashes between rebels and pro-government forces.

The UN is trying to restart talks to end a three-year war that has caused a massive humanitarian crisis.

Until now, the conflict has killed thousands of people and pushed millions of other Yemenis to the brink of starvation.

Violent clashes may occur Monday in the suburbs of the city, controlled by Houthi rebels, while coalition fighter jets launched a series of air strikes on strategic positions of rebels, the agency reported. AFP press.

What each party had recently agreed on?

The head of the Supreme Committee of the Houthi Revolution, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, said in a statement that the rebels were putting an end to the drone and missile strikes against coalition forces at the request of the United Nations.

The statement added that the Houthis were ready to move towards a wider ceasefire if "the Saudi-led coalition wants peace".

• Will the peace talks mean more violence in Yemen?
• Yemen: Who is fighting against whom?

Last week, the Saudi-led coalition and the United Arab Emirates ordered a halt to its offensive on Hudaydah, a Red Sea port. They also stated that they supported the talks led by the UN.

United Nations special envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he hoped the peace talks would meet before the end of the year.

He told the UN Security Council Friday that he had received "firm assurances" from the presence of both parties, promising to accompany the Houthi representatives of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, if necessary.

The Houthis did not show up for the peace talks in September.

Why is this battle important?

The latest violence in Hudaydah threatens to undermine international efforts to end the ongoing conflict.

Hudaydah Harbor is a vital lifeline for just under two-thirds of Yemen's population, which relies almost entirely on imports of food, fuel and medicine.

• Why the battle for Hudaydah in Yemen is important

The UN had already warned that in the worst case scenario, the conflict could cost up to 250,000 lives and prevent millions of people from getting help.

What is behind the conflict?

The conflict began in 2014 when the Muslim Houthi Shiite rebel movement took advantage of the weakness of the new president and took control of Sa'ada province in the north of the country and neighboring areas.

The Houthis then took Sanaa, forcing President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to exile abroad.

• The conflict in Yemen explained in 400 words

The conflict escalated dramatically in March 2015 when Saudi Arabia and eight other Sunni-majority Arab states – supported by the United States, the United Kingdom and France – launched air strikes against the Houthis, for the stated purpose of restoring Mr. Hadi's government.