Yemen protest
Anti-Houthi protesters shout slogans against the dissolution of Yemen's parliament and the takeover by the armed Shi'ite Muslim Houthi group REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

Saudi Arabia has suspended embassy operations in Yemen and evacuated its staff as the security conditions worsen in the war-torn country.

The shutting down of the embassy in the capital of Sana'a follows the closure of the US and UK missions amid fears Yemen is on the brink of civil war.

"As a result of deterioration in security and political conditions in the Yemen capital of Sana'a, the kingdom has suspended all embassy operations in Sana'a and evacuated its entire staff, who arrived safely in the kingdom," state news agency SPA reported, quoting a foreign ministry spokesman.

The Iran-backed Shi'ite Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah, "Partisans of God", are behind the escalation in violence in the country that has seen key state buildings seized and the dissolution of parliament.

The terrorists also forced President Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi to stand down after storming the presidential palace in January last month. Hadi remains under house arrest with other ministers.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council Yemen action was needed to stop the country sliding into anarchy.

He said: "Yemen is collapsing before our eyes, we can't stand by and watch. We must do everything possible to help Yemen step back from the brink and get the political process back on track."

Jamal Benomar, the UN's special envoy to Yemen, also said: "We believe the situation is very dangerous. Yemen is on the brink of civil war."

It comes as the rebels mandated a series of constitutional declarations including plans to replace Yemen's parliament with a transitional national council and the establishment of a five-member presidential council, which the EU has criticised as having "no legitimacy".