āThe United States welcomes the release today of U.S. citizens Sandra Loli and Mikael Gidada from Houthi custody in Yemen,ā national security adviser Robert O'Brien said in a statement.
Yemen plunged into chaos and civil war when the Houthi rebels took over Sanaa in 2014 from the internationally recognized government.
The war in Yemen has spawned the worldās worst humanitarian crisis, leaving millions suffering from food and medical shortages.
Mohamed Abdel-Salam, a spokesman for the Iran-backed militants, also confirmed that about 240 rebels returned to Sanaa on two Omani flights.
___Associated Press writer Ahmed al-Haj in Sanaa, Yemen, contributed to this report.