Geneva, Aug. 14 -- Russia has called for the immediate and complete lifting of the land, air, and sea blockade on Yemen, strongly criticising the United States and Israel for instigating a "broader regional confrontation that has drawn in Houthi forces."

Addressing a UN Security Council briefing on Yemen, Russian representative Dina Gilmutdinova urged the international community to remove all restrictions on the delivery of essential food, medicine, and humanitarian aid to the country, pointing out that prolonged stagnation in the Yemeni peace process has dragged local actors into wider regional hostilities.

"We also call for the complete lifting of the maritime, air and land blockade of Yemen, as well as the removal of all restrictions...