DANGEROUS ESCALATION IN RIMA: HOUTHIS ATTACK QURAN TEACHER’S HOME AND ISLAMIC CENTER

In a serious escalation, Houthi militants launched a large-scale attack on Al-Salafiyah District in Yemen’s Rima Governorate on Tuesday, deploying over 50 military vehicles to storm the home of Sheikh Saleh Hantous and target a Quranic school previously closed by the group.

According to local sources, the raid was led by senior Houthi figures, including Faris Rouba (accused of looting and road blockades), Fouad Al-Jaradi (posing as local police chief), Mohammed Al-Wasd and Abdu Al-Hansi (both claiming Hashemite lineage), as well as Zaid Al-Wazir and Muammar Al-Juboubi.

Sheikh Hantous, a respected Quran teacher known for his independence, had resumed teaching Quran with the help of his wife, which prompted the armed campaign. His house was shelled with medium and light weapons despite his old age and poor health.

This attack underscores the ongoing suppression of religious freedoms and independent Islamic education in Houthi-controlled areas.

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