YEMEN’S Houthi-led government today slammed Wednesday’s UN security council resolution that demanded an end to its operations in the Red Sea as a “political game.”

Yemeni spokesman Muhammad Abdul-Salam accused the United States itself of violating international law throughout the world.

This came as the security council demanded an immediate halt to attacks by Yemeni forces on ships in the Red Sea.

The resolution, sponsored by the US and Japan, was approved by a vote of 11-0 with abstentions from Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique.

It condemns “in the strongest terms” attacks carried out by the Yemenis on merchant and commercial vessels, which the resolution says are impeding global commerce and undermining navigational freedom.

Supreme Political Council of Yemen member Muhammad Ali al-Houthi said: “We call on Israel to immediately stop all attacks that disrupt the lives of the people of Gaza and undermine the rights, freedoms and peace and security of the region.”

A US-led coalition of nations has recently been patrolling the Red Sea to try to prevent Yemeni attacks. In the past day, the Houthis fired their largest-ever barrage of drones and missiles targeting shipping in the Red Sea, which the US and British navies shot down in a major naval engagement.

US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council Wednesday: “If the Houthi attacks continue, there will be consequences.”

Ms Thomas-Greenfield also lashed out at Iran, alleging its involvement in planning the attacks by the Yemenis.

She warned: “Iran also has a choice: to continue providing or withhold its support for the Houthis, without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike vessels through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”

Immediately before the vote, the council rejected three proposed Russian amendments. 

The amendments said that the resolution would not set a precedent and would have replaced a provision taking note “of the right of member states, in accordance with international law, to defend their vessels from attacks, including those that undermine navigational rights and freedoms.”

Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that a third amendment would have added language to reflect that “the escalation in Gaza is a main root cause of the current situation in the Red Sea.”

He condemned the attacks on civilian vessels but called the resolution “politicised,” saying Moscow believes the real aim of the coalition “cobbled together” by the US to legitimise its actions and get an open-ended blessing from the security council for future activities.