File photo of Shi'ite houthi rebels.
The leader of Yemen's Shiite Huthi rebels said Friday he did not expect a humanitarian ceasefire to hold, hours before the UN-proposed truce was due to come into effect, and demanded an end to Saudi "aggression."
"We do not have much hope for the truce to succeed," said Abdulmalik al-Huthi in a televised statement aired on the rebel Al-Masirah channel ahead of the truce deadline at midnight.
"The success of the truce depends on the commitment of the Saudi regime and is conditioned to a complete end to the aggression," he added referring to the Saudi-led air campaign in support of exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi.
Speaking on the occasion of the Quds (Jerusalem) day of solidarity with the Palestinians, inaugurated by the late Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the head of the Iran-backed militia accused Saudi Arabia of serving Israeli interests in the region.
"Why doesn't the Saudi regime serve the Palestinian cause instead of trying to coerce the Arab will into serving Israeli and US wishes," he lashed out, praising Tehran for its support to the Palestinians.
"The main issue in the region is not fighting the Iranian influence as they claim. It is about spreading Israel's hegemony," he said.
Iran has repeatedly denied arming Yemen rebels who overran the capital in September and went on to seize several regions aided by troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.
A Saudi-led coalition launched an air campaign against the rebels late March.