The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen has announced a two-week ceasefire in support of a UN-led peace initiative, AP reports.

Why it matters: There's little to show for five years of war in Yemen beyond one of the world's most dire humanitarian crises, which would only deepen in the event of a coronavirus outbreak. Sources told Reuters the virus was a driving factor behind the ceasefire, which could pave the war for peace talks in the coming days.

The backstory: The Houthis overthrew Yemen's Saudi-aligned president in late 2014, after which Saudi Arabia and several allies began a fierce bombing campaign.

The Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, waged with American-made weapons, has been widely criticized internationally due to its high civilian death toll and massive humanitarian crisis that has put millions on the brink of famine.

Despite efforts in Congress to suspend U.S. support to the coalition, the Trump administration has continued to back the Saudis, in part due to links between the Houthis and Iran.

Back-channel talks last year between the Saudis and Houthis had led to a reduction in violence, though casualties have spiked recently, per AP.

The latest: The Saudi proposal envisions "a nationwide ceasefire, including halting all air, ground and naval hostilities, and for the parties to ensure compliance by forces on frontlines," per Reuters.