The Donald Trump administration is preparing to cut most humanitarian aid to Yemen, the Washington Post reported today, amid progress on a potential cease-fire between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels. The Trump administration provided more than $700 million in humanitarian assistance for Yemen last year but is shutting off the spigot in a bid to pressure the Houthis to undo their onerous new aid restrictions.

The move comes after the Saudi-led coalition and Yemen’s internationally recognized government backed UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ call for a cease-fire in the war-torn country earlier this week in order to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Key rebel leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi welcomed the coalition’s announcement on Twitter with the caveat that they would wait to see it applied practically. Still, the Saudi-led coalition said today that it shot down Houthi drones over the kingdom while the Houthis said they intercepted coalition aircraft flying over Yemen’s Marib province.

Why it matters:  The Trump administration’s move to suspend $73 million out of $85 million in aid throughout Houthi-controlled territory could hamper support for much of Yemen’s health sector as it stares down the coronavirus threat. But the United States hopes the drastic measure will force the Houthis to relax their restrictions on aid. While the Houthis have temporarily backed off on threats to impose a 2% aid tax, they are still restricting humanitarian NGO activity throughout northern Yemen. 

Seven key House Democrats — including Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel of New York and Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith of Washington — came out against the draconian cuts in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and outgoing USAID Administrator Mark Green on Thursday.