UN bans arms to Houthis

World powers took wide-ranging action against Yemen's Houthi rebels on Tuesday, hitting them with a United Nations arms embargo and new United States sanctions.

The UN Security Council imposed the embargo as battles in the south of the country intensified. The vote came after Iran, which is accused of backing the rebels, proposed a cease-fire followed by foreign-mediated talks.

Egypt said it and Saudi Arabia had discussed holding a "major military maneuver" in Saudi Arabia with other Gulf states, following talks on the progress of the three-week-old Saudi-led campaign of airstrikes against the Houthis. The rebels now control most of Yemen.