Pompeo Calls for Ceasfire in Yemen

According to "U.S. and Britain Seek Yemen Cease-Fire as Relations With Saudis Cool," by Gardiner Harris, Eric Schmitt and Rick Gladstone:

Mr. Pompeo emphasized that the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are fighting the Saudi-led coalition, must first stop firing missiles at Saudi Arabia and its chief ally, the United Arab Emirates. But he also said that “subsequently, coalition airstrikes must cease in all populated areas in Yemen.”

Note the "in all populated areas" qualifier. So Pompeo's ceasefire appears to apply only to cities.

The Pompeo ceasefire is being interpreted as a way to salvage the war on Yemen before Congress returns to work:

Already troubled by the Yemen war and outraged over Mr. Khashoggi’s killing, Republicans and Democrats in Congress have been calling on the Trump administration to penalize Saudi Arabia. On Wednesday, five Republican senators asked President Trump to cut off civilian nuclear talks with the Saudis in a letter reported by NBC News.

The administration’s Yemen cease-fire proposal appeared aimed at least in part at heading off congressional fury and preserving the Saudi relationship.

“This is clearly something that’s driven by events that the U.S. government wants to get out in front of,” said Michael Knights, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Whether the calls by the United States and Britain will be backed by stronger action to pressure the Saudis and other combatants in the conflict was not clear.