On January 17, the Al-Akhbar daily newspaper carried the following report by its correspondent in Yemen, Rashid al-Haddad: "Al-Akhbar learned from well-informed sources that an agreement has been reached between Sanaa and Al-Riyadh to extend the truce in Yemen, as the latter accepted to meet the former's demands pertaining to the humanitarian files, mainly the file of the civil servants' wages.

"According to the available pieces of information, these wages will be paid based on the 2014 statements and in hard currency. A private jet will be carrying the wages on a monthly basis to the Yemeni capital. In addition, the destinations of the International Airport of Sanaa will be expanded to include Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, India, and Malaysia. All restrictions will also be lifted on the entry of imports to the port of Al-Hudaydah.

"The sources further revealed that a Saudi delegation headed by the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammad al-Jaber, visited Sanaa right after the departure of the Omani delegation from the capital. The Saudi delegation engaged in direct talks with the Ansarullah group with the aim of placing the final touches on the new truce agreement. The sources indicated that the postponement of the visit by the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, came in response to a Saudi request with the aim of abstaining from affecting the talks [between the Saudi delegation and Ansarullah].

"The sources further revealed that, during the second visit by the Omani delegation, the latter met with Ansarullah's Chief of the Military Staff. During the meeting, a map was presented that shows all the vital locations that the movement [i.e. Ansarullah] can attack. Furthermore, there was an insistence on the idea that the Al-Riyadh Airport will not be allowed to remain open while the Sanaa Airport is still shut.

"In addition, the commander of the Ansarullah movement, Sayed Abdul Malik al-Houthi, warned his guests that any attempt at breaking the siege imposed on the exportation of oil from the southern and eastern parts of the country will be met with an expansion of the circle of targets. The sources believe that these threats had an effect on facilitating the recent agreement. Indeed, while Al-Riyadh had still been trying to present itself as a mediator to Sanaa, the latter met this with a categorical rejection. Meanwhile, the formula of the agreement that should be announced in the upcoming few hours is still under consideration..."