Sanaa, Jun 12 (IANS): The US and British coalition conducted three airstrikes on Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the media reported.

The airstrikes hit targets in the district of al-Salif, northwest of the coastal city, al-Masirah TV reported on Tuesday, without providing further details.

Local residents said on social media platforms that the airstrikes targeted Houthi positions in the district, Xinhua news agency reported.

As of now, the coalition has not commented yet.

The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, including Hodeidah, began in November last year to launch anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones targeting what they said were Israeli-linked ships transiting the Red Sea, to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In response, the US-British naval coalition stationed in the region has conducted air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets since January to deter the group but this only led to an expansion of Houthi attacks to include US and British commercial vessels and naval ships.