Saudi TV: Yemen rebel attack on airport sets plane on fire
Dubai, (AP): Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday targeted an airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia with bomb-laden drones, causing a civilian plane on the tarmac to catch fire, the kingdom's state television reported. The attack threatened to escalate Yemen's grinding war.
No one was hurt in the assault, but the damaged passenger plane at Abha airport served as a powerful reminder of the danger that Houthi rebels pose to Saudi Arabia, which nearly six years ago launched a bombing campaign that has devastated the Arab world's poorest country.
The Iran-aligned Houthis soon claimed responsibility for the assault, with military spokesman Yehia Sarea stressing that the Houthis consider Abha airport to be a military, not civilian, target.
This targeting comes in response to the continued aerial bombardment and the brutal siege of our country, Sarea said, adding the group attacked with four bomb-laden drones.
Col. Turki al-Maliki, the spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition fighting in Yemen, said forces earlier intercepted and destroyed two drones launched by Houthis toward the country's south. He condemned the assault as a systematic and deliberate attempt to target civilians."
Photographs later aired by Saudi state television showed the aircraft, a 3-year-old Airbus A320 flown by low-cost carrier FlyADeal. It appeared the drone had punched a hole through its fuselage, with scorch marks on the metal. An anchor on state television said there were no injuries on the ground from the fire. FlyADeal did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Arijit Singh likely to launch new political party: Reports
New Delhi: The music industry is abuzz with fresh speculation days after singer Arijit Singh announced that he would step away from taking new playback singing assignments.
According to a report by NDTV, the popular singer is now being linked to a possible entry into politics. Sources cited by the portal claim that Arijit is seriously considering exploring political work, beginning at the grassroots level. A source from the Bengali film industry told NDTV that while the singer is unlikely to contest the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, he may be thinking about forming his own political party in the future.
Arijit Singh, who hails from Jiaganj in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, has long been known for maintaining a low profile despite his immense popularity. The report suggests that his alleged interest in politics may be driven by his roots and a desire to contribute beyond music. However, the singer has not made any official statement confirming these reports.
The speculation comes shortly after Arijit announced his decision to stop taking new playback singing assignments. In a post shared on Instagram on Tuesday evening, he thanked listeners for their continued support and said he was calling time on his journey as a playback vocalist.
“Hello, Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you all for giving me so much love all these years as listeners. I am happy to announce that I am not going to be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey,” he wrote.
Arijit also clarified that he would complete his pending commitments and that some releases may still come out this year. He stressed that he was not quitting music altogether and would continue to learn and create independently.
Over the past decade, Arijit Singh has been one of the most influential voices in Hindi cinema, delivering several chart-topping songs including Tum Hi Ho, Channa Mereya, Agar Tum Saath Ho, Raabta, Kesariya, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Tera Yaar Hoon Main and Tujhe Kitna Chahne Lage. He was also expected to feature in Vishal Bhardwaj’s upcoming film O Romeo. His most recent release is Ghar Kab Aaoge from Border 2.
As of now, neither Arijit Singh nor his representatives have responded to the reports linking him to a political foray.
