A Saudi ceasefire provides some hope of ending the war in Yemen

AFTER FIVE years of war, Saudi Arabia and its allies are laying down their arms in Yemen—for two weeks. The unilateral ceasefire, said the Saudis, was prompted by fears of covid-19 spreading into Yemen, the region’s poorest country, which does not have the capacity to deal with a big outbreak. But it is also indicative of a shift in Saudi thinking over the past year. Yemen’s plight is often described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. More than 100,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Most of the blame has been placed on Saudi Arabia. With its image in tatters and no clear path to victory, the kingdom has been looking for a way out.