Houthi follower holds up a poster of leader of the Houthi group Abdul Malik Badruddin al-Houthi during a demonstration against the Saudi-led air strikes, in Sanaa.

Houthi militias in Yemen accepted on Sunday a five-day humanitarian ceasefire proposed by their adversary Saudi Arabia but said they would respond to any violations, according to Reuters news agency.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia had said that the ceasefire could begin on Tuesday if the Houthi militia agreed to the pause, which would let in badly needed food and medical supplies.

Colonel Sharaf Luqman, spokesperson for the Houthi-allied army, said on Sunday that Yemeni forces agreed to the truce but would confront any attacks by President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi loyalists on battlefronts which stretch across much of the impoverished country.

“Any military violation of the ceasefire from al Qaeda and those who stand with it … will be responded to,” Luqman said in a statement published by Saba news agency.

Backed by the United States, a Saudi-led coalition has been conducting air strikes against the Houthis and army units loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26 with the aim of restoring the government of Hadi.

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