Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who are poised to return to the US terrorism blacklist, released more than 150 prisoners of war in tearful scenes on Saturday.

The move will authorize harsher penalties on the Iran-backed group, which has attacked Israel and disrupted global shipping trade in the Red Sea for over a year.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized the vessel off the coast of Yemen, Al Masirah TV reported on Wednesday. The crew were handed to Oman "in coordination" with Palestinian militant group Hamas after a ceasefire deal in Gaza was brokered with Israel,

Gaza Yemen’s Houthi rebels freed 153 prisoners of war on Saturday, the Red Cross said, one of several overtures in recent days to ease tensions after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Earlier prisoner releases have been regarded as a way to jump-start talks on a permanent end to Yemen's