Yemen rebels in Trump's sights free 150 war prisoners

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who are poised to return to the US terrorism blacklist, released more than 150 prisoners of war in tearful scenes on Saturday.

Those freed, who included elderly men with long, grey beards, hugged and kissed relatives, some of them crying, as they were reunited in the rebel-held capital Sanaa.

The second unilateral release in eight months took place with the Huthis in the sights of not only US President Donald Trump but also the United Nations, after they detained seven UN humanitarian staff on Thursday.

The rebels, part of Iran's "axis of resistance", have also been firing on Israel and Red Sea shipping during the Gaza war, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians.

Prisoners in traditional izar skirts, sandals and keffiyah scarves were led out under the eyes of heavily armed Huthi soldiers in combat fatigues.

"We can't describe our feelings, as if we are born again," said Mohammed Nasser, one of the released prisoners.

"We thank God that we are out of this prison. We thank everyone who helped in the success of this initiative."

The International Committee of the Red Cross, which had interviewed the prisoners and carried out medical checks during preparations for the release, said 153 "conflict-related" prisoners were freed.

"This operation has brought much-needed relief and joy to families who have been anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones," said Christine Cipolla, the ICRC's head of delegation in Yemen.

"We know that many other families are also waiting for their chance to be reunited. We hope that today’s release will lead to many more moments like this."

Abdulqader al-Murtada, head of the Huthis' Committee for Prisoners' Affairs, said: "The initiative is for humanitarian reasons and unilaterally.

"Most of those released are humanitarian cases, including the sick, the wounded, the elderly," he said in a statement.

The release follows the Huthis' latest detention of United Nations staff, which prompted a protest from Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday.

"Their continued arbitrary detention is unacceptable," Guterres said in a statement, calling for the immediate release of all UN personnel held in Yemen.

The Huthis have detained dozens of staff from UN and other agencies, most since the middle of last year, alleging an American-Israeli spy ring.

Saturday's prisoner release also comes after Trump signed an executive order that moves to return the Huthis to the list of foreign terrorist organisations.

Re-listing the Huthis will trigger a review of UN and other aid agencies working in Yemen that receive US funding, according to the order signed on Wednesday.

A decade of war has plunged Yemen into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with 18 million people needing assistance and protection, according to the UN.

Last May, the Huthis freed 113 prisoners in a similar unilateral release. In April 2023, the rebels and Yemen's government exchanged about 1,000 prisoners of war.

The Huthis' seizure of Sanaa in September 2014 prompted a Saudi-led intervention the following March in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people either directly or through indirect causes, such as disease.

A UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022 has sharply reduced the fighting. But during the Gaza war, the rebels' attacks on Israel and shipping have prompted reprisal strikes from US, Israeli and British forces.