Pope Francis calls for peace in Yemen

Pope Francis called for an end to war and provision of humanitarian relief in Yemen at the start of his first papal trip to the Arabian Peninsula on Sunday.

"The people are exhausted by the long conflict, and many children are hungry, but humanitarian aid isn't accessible. The cries of these children and their parents rise up to God," Francis said. He urged world leaders "to urgently promote compliance with the agreements reached, to ensure the distribution of food, and to work for the good of the population."

The United States has provided material and intelligence support for the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen since 2015, maintaining involvement even as the Saudi coalition blockade and airstrikes foster the world's most acute humanitarian crisis.

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