Aden – Houthi militants launched a violent assault on the home of Sheikh Saleh Hantous, a respected Quran teacher in al-Ma’dhab village, al-Salafiyah district of Raymah province, resulting in his death and the serious injury of his wife.

According to local sources and Yemeni officials, the Houthis surrounded the house with over 20 military vehicles before bombarding it with RPGs and heavy weapons, setting the home ablaze and trapping the elderly couple inside. The attack reportedly came after Sheikh Hantous refused to comply with Houthi orders to stop teaching Quran and Arabic to children in the village mosque.

Eyewitnesses reported that the Houthis prevented medical aid from reaching the wounded, leaving Sheikh Hantous’s wife in critical condition. A voice recording from the scene, shared by the family, captured the elderly woman pleading for help under heavy shelling.

The incident has sparked outrage across Yemen, with activists launching the hashtag #Saleh_Hantous to demand justice and international condemnation. Human rights groups have called for an urgent investigation and for the Houthis to be held accountable for war crimes.

This attack adds to a growing list of Houthi violations against civilians, religious leaders, and educators, and underscores the urgent need for international action to protect vulnerable communities in Houthi-controlled areas.