Despite a boycott by Houthi militias, the Gulf states began a summit on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to address the conflict in Yemen.

The week-long discussions in the Saudi capital are hosted by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council and will include United Nations envoy Hans Grundberg and Washington's Tim Lenderking. 

The talks started hours after the Riyadh-led coalition announced a ceasefire for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. 

On Tuesday night, the coalition announced a "cessation of military operations in Yemen beginning at 6:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) Wednesday," saying the move was aimed at creating the appropriate conditions for their success and creating a positive environment during Ramadan for peacemaking in Yemen. 

Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukaiti later rejected the proposal as "meaningless" without the coalition fully reopening the country's ports.

(Cover: Houthi fighters assess the damage following overnight air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition, targeting the Houthi rebel-held capital Sanaa, March 26, 2022. /CFP)