Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. is "on the cusp" of stepping in to help negotiate a cease-fire agreement in Yemen.
He made the statement on Wednesday after he and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis briefed the Senate on the situations in Saudi Arabia and Yemen and the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The closed-door meeting was the first chance senators got to question top administration officials over Khashoggi's death.
Though Pompeo didn't provide many details about the possible cease-fire, he did say the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels would be present if a meeting could be set up.
Pompeo pointed out that ending support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen could undermine those cease-fire efforts. And that's exactly what a joint resolution headed to a Senate vote this week is trying to do. The measure asks that the U.S. pull armed forces from "hostilities in or affecting Yemen" within 30 days, unless a later date is approved or a declaration of war is enacted.
A number of humanitarian groups are also calling for the U.S. to end support for the Saudi-led coalition.
Earlier in the day, Pompeo announced the U.S. would allocate nearly $131 million for additional food assistance in Yemen, which he said brings the "total humanitarian aid" in the last 14 months to nearly $700 million.
