SANAA, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- An international aid agency strongly condemned Saturday's attack on people traveling by bus to flee the escalating war in Yemen's war-torn port city of Hodeidah that killed at least 17, mostly women and children.

In a statement on Sunday, the Norwegian Refugee Council's office in Yemen said Saturday's attack in Jabal Ras was "unacceptable."

The Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Jabal Ras area near a security checkpoint south of Hodeidah city also wounded 20 others, said the Yemeni Houthi rebel-controlled Saba news agency.

The war has escalated in the Red Sea port city following the collapse of peacemaking efforts last month by the UN in Geneva after Houthi rebels refused to attend.

The Hodeidah port is a main entry point of about 70 percent of Yemen's food, medicines, aid and fuel.

Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthi rebels forced him into exile. The war has killed over 10,000 people and displaced nearly 3 million.