A plane carrying Houthi prisoners left Saudi Arabia today, Saturday , heading to Sana'a, which is controlled by the rebels.

The process, which began on Friday and will continue until Sunday, is taking place in the midst of extensive diplomatic efforts that raised hopes for an end to the Yemeni conflict between the government, which is supported by a Saudi-led military coalition, and the Houthis, who are close to Iran.

"The first plane took off from Abha (southern Saudi Arabia) to Sana'a, with 120 former detainees on board," Jessica Mosan, media advisor for the International Committee of the Red Cross, told AFP.

This is the first of three flights scheduled for Saturday between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as the second flight will carry 16 Saudi prisoners and three Sudanese prisoners from Sanaa to Riyadh, according to the Yemeni government, while the last flight will transport 117 Houthi prisoners from Abha to the Yemeni capital.

The Yemeni conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis, backed by Iran, took control of several areas in the country, including the capital, Sanaa. The following year, Saudi Arabia intervened at the head of a military coalition, exacerbating the conflict that left hundreds of thousands dead and caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.

During negotiations held in Berne last month, the Houthis and the government reached an agreement to exchange more than 880 prisoners. Under the agreement, the Houthis will release 181 prisoners, including Saudis and Sudanese, in exchange for 706 detainees held by government forces.

On the first day of the exchange, Friday, 318 prisoners were transported on four flights between Aden in the south, the seat of government, and the capital, by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Among them are the former Minister of Defense, Major General Mahmoud Al-Subaihi, and Major General Nasser Mansour Hadi, the brother of former President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who later went to Riyadh, where his brother resides.

Before the departure of the Saturday flight, the prisoners were transported in at least three buses to the runway of Abha Airport, which had previously been attacked by Houthi drones, and wheelchairs were placed near the buses before the prisoners began to be transferred to the plane, according to an AFP photographer.

In addition to the flights between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will operate three other flights on Saturday between Mocha (western Yemen), which is under the control of government forces, and Sanaa, to transport 100 Houthi prisoners.

In Sana'a, red carpets were spread on the grounds of the runway, awaiting the reception of the Houthi prisoners, while dozens of elements wearing phosphorous vests stood on both sides of a long line near armed elements, with the Saudi and Sudanese prisoners passing between them at a later time on their way to the plane.

Analysts say that after eight years of coalition operations to overthrow the Houthis, the Saudis have realized that this goal will not be achieved and are looking forward to ending their military involvement in Yemen.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was 29 when he was defense minister and launched the military alliance, became the kingdom's de facto ruler in 2017 and has since been keen to protect the domestic reform agenda, "Saudi Vision 2030."

Last month, Saudi Arabia's exit strategy received support from a Chinese-brokered agreement to resume diplomatic relations with Iran, which could mean reshaping the political landscape of the Middle East, given the two countries' involvement in regional conflicts, including Yemen.

Likewise, Saudi Arabia is pressing for Syria's return to the Arab League after more than a decade of suspending its membership due to the regime's suppression of protest movements. On Friday, it hosted ministers and diplomats from the Gulf states and three Arab countries in Jeddah for talks on Syria, then issued a statement highlighting "the importance of an Arab leadership role" to end the crisis.

In Yemen, a Saudi delegation visited Sanaa last Sunday for talks centered on reviving the truce and laying the groundwork for a more sustainable ceasefire. The delegation, headed by Ambassador Mohammed al-Jaber, left Thursday evening with an agreement to hold further talks, according to Houthi and Yemeni government sources.

A Houthi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there had been "a preliminary agreement on a truce" that might be announced later, while the Houthis' chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdel Salam, described the talks as "serious and positive".

Riyadh is believed to have requested security guarantees from the Iranians, including stopping Houthi drone and missile attacks on Saudi territory.

However, even if the kingdom manages to negotiate a way out of the war, fighting could break out again between the various Yemeni factions within Yemen.

"Saudi Arabia is striving to reduce its military involvement in Yemen (...) and is seeking a lasting, long-term peace that allows it to focus on its economic priorities," Sanam Wakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House, told AFP.

"But despite this goal, it will be the mediator, investor and guarantor of the conflict in Yemen for a long time," she added.