UNSC to hold urgent meeting on Yemen

The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting Friday afternoon on Yemen, where the UN chief has warned that basic services are "on the brink of collapse," ABC News reported.

Lithuania, which now holds the rotating council presidency, tweeted that the council will meet in closed consultations. The UN political chief, Jeffrey Feltman, will brief.

Diplomats say council member Russia called for the meeting to address the extraordinary humanitarian and security situation.

The meeting comes a day after Ban Ki-moon's office again called for an immediate ceasefire, or at least humanitarian pauses.

Ban's statement also warned that already challenged humanitarian operations in the Arab world's poorest country will end within days unless fuel imports return, noting that the violence has "severely blocked" shipments of basic supplies such as food and medical items.