The US State Department said, Friday, that the Houthis “lost” by refusing to meet the UN envoy in the Omani capital, Muscat, calling for the importance of reaching an agreement for a comprehensive ceasefire in the war-torn country.

A statement issued by the US State Department warned of “the continuation of the attack launched by the Houthis on the city of Marib, as it increases the human suffering in Yemen.”

The statement added that “the Houthis missed a great opportunity, by refusing to meet the UN envoy in Muscat.”

The statement quoted the US special envoy to Yemen, Tim Lenderking, as saying that there is a “need to ease all restrictions in the port of Hodeidah and Sanaa airport, and the need to reach an agreement for a comprehensive ceasefire throughout Yemen.”

It indicated that the US envoy had visited Riyadh and held a round of meetings with senior government officials from Saudi Arabia, including the Saudi crown prince, Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

In Muscat, the US envoy met with the Omani Minister of Foreign Affairs, Syed Badr Al-Busaidi, in a joint meeting that also included US Senator Chris Murphy.

The meeting parties agreed on the need to reach an immediate ceasefire in Yemen, and the commitment to work with the parties to the conflict to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict.