Yemen's Gulf neighbours have urged the United Nations to act forcefully over the deteriorating security situation there, including possible military intervention, as more governments closed their embassies in Sanaa.
The call, at a meeting in Riyadh of the Gulf Cooperation Council, came as Shi'ite militiamen behind a power grab in Yemen fired live rounds to disperse thousands of protesters.
Home to al-Qaeda's deadliest branch and a key US ally in the fight against the group, Yemen has descended into chaos since the militia, known as Huthis, seized Sanaa in September.
Matters worsened last month when they ousted the government.
Foreign ministers of the six GCC member countries on Saturday called on the "UN Security Council to take a decision under Chapter Seven of the United Nations Charter", which allows the use of military force if there are breaches of the peace or acts of aggression.
They also called for an urgent meeting of the Arab League and of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
In a statement at the end of their meeting, they called for immediate international steps to guarantee the safety of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, now under effective house arrest, and of his prime minister.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned that Yemen is falling apart and called for Western-backed Hadi to be restored to power.
In the city of Ibb, which the militia has held since last year, protesters chanted: "Huthi, Iran: Yemen is not Lebanon!", in a reference to predominantly Shi'ite Iran's alleged support for the militia.
They also shouted slogans against Russia, which is thought to be reluctant to take a hard line against the Huthis at the UN Security Council.
Witnesses said the Huthis fired warning shots to disperse the protest, wounding at least six people.
In the capital, hundreds protested describing the militia as "gangs that could not build a state".
On Sunday, the Huthis announced a ban on all demonstrations against them unless they are authorised by the interior ministry, which itself is now under their control.
Diplomatically, more countries shut their embassies, with Spain and the United Arab Emirates becoming the latest to announce on Saturday they had suspended operations at their missions in Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the Netherlands have also closed their embassies and withdrawn staff for security reasons.
Following consultations in New York on Thursday, Britain said it would work with Jordan on a resolution to outline the Security Council's stance on Yemen.
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