Russia requests UN Security Council meeting after U.S. and Britain strike Yemen

An aircraft takes off to join the U.S.-led coalition operation against military targets in Yemen, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia that has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, from an undisclosed location, in this screengrab from a handout video released on January 12, 2024. US Central Command via X/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia said it had requested an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Friday to discuss military strikes on Yemen by the United States and Britain.

“Russia has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on January 12 in connection with the U.S. and UK strikes on Yemen,” Russia’s permanent mission to the United Nations said.

The United States and Britain launched strikes from the air and sea against Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the movement’s attacks on ships in the Red Sea, a dramatic regional widening of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

A spokesman for Yemen’s Houthis said there was no justification for the U.S.-British attack and said the Iran-backed group will continue targeting ships heading towards Israel.

(Reporting by Reuters reporters in Moscow; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)