SANAA (Reuters) - The United Nations has condemned airstrikes by an Arab coalition that killed 26 people in Western Yemen on Wednesday and said attacks on civilian facilities in the Arab World’s poorest country have increased since July.

Warplanes of the Saudi-led alliance launched missiles at a residential neighborhood in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah on Wednesday where Houthi leaders were staying, a resident and medics in the Houthi-controled area told Reuters.

The raid hit a house in a neighborhood populated by workers.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a statement condemning the attack, said dozens of people, including children and women, had been killed and injured.

Wednesday’s raid, which the Arab alliance said it was investigating reports on, was the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes.

In August at least 41 attacks hit civilian facilities and killed 180 civilians, a 40 percent increase in casualties since July, said a U.N. human rights spokeswoman.

“We note with deep concern the sharp increase in civilian casualties since the suspension of peace talks,” said Cecile Pouilly in a statement. “We reiterate our call for the setting up of an international and independent investigative body.”

The coalition, which began operations in Yemen in March last year to try to reverse the rise to power of the Iran-allied Houthi group, has repeatedly said it does not target civilians.

In a statement, the coalition said it was aware of reports alleging civilian casualties in Hodeidah city.

“As with any allegation we receive, the information about the incident will be reviewed, and once it is found supporting the allegation based on credible evidence we will then move to a next step of investigations,” the statement said.

The deputy governor of Hodeidah province, Hashim Azazi said late on Wednesday rescue workers were still pulling victims out of the rubble.

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A Houthi leader, Ali al-Amad, said in a Tweet he had survived a raid on the presidential palace.

U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting that has killed more than 10,000 people collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Nearly half of Yemen’s 22 provinces are on the verge of famine, according to the U.N. World Food Program, as a result of the war that has drawn in regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia.</s>Saudi-led coalition air strike kills at least 6 in Yemen - residents

SANAA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - At least 6 civilians were killed on Wednesday when a Saudi-led coalition air strike hit a house in western Yemen, residents and medics said.

Fighter jets of an Arab alliance launched missiles on Wednesday at a presidential palace in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah occupied by leaders of the Iran-allied Houthi militia, a resident told Reuters.

A raid hit a house adjacent to the palace killing six civilians and wounding 12 according to a medic who said rescue workers were searching for victims among the rubble.

It was not immediately clear if any Houthi leaders had been killed or injured in the attack.

"The scene was awful. Body parts were mixed up with the remains of the house and blood filled the place," said a resident who declined to have his name published out of fear for his safety.

The Saudi-led coalition was formed early last year to fight the Houthis after they took over the capital Sanaa, made gains in other provinces and forced Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government to flee into exile.

U.N.-sponsored talks to try to end the fighting that has killed more than 10,000 people collapsed in failure last month and the Houthi movement and allied forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh resumed shelling into neighboring Saudi Arabia.

Wednesday's attacks were the latest in a series of strikes that have hit schools, hospitals, markets and private homes.

A coalition spokesperson was not immediately available to comment. Saudi officials say aircraft of the Arab alliance only target military facilities in Yemen.

Nearly half of Yemen's 22 provinces are on the verge of famine, according to the U.N. World Food Programme, as a result of the war that has drawn in regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari; Writing by Tom Finn; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
The death toll from a Saudi-led Arab coalition airstrike which hit a house in a residential area in western Yemen has risen to 26 people.