The question now is whether the Houthis are prepared to lay down their arms and come to the negotiating table, said Gerald Feierstein, a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen.
“From their recent statements, the risk is that the Houthis believe that their recent attacks in Marib and across the border into Saudi Arabia are bringing them closer to a military victory,” he said.
“If that's the case, they may interpret the Saudi offer as evidence of weakness rather than a serious bid to end the conflict and reach a political accord.”