Some buildings in the Israeli city of Haifa have been left damaged following rocket and drone attacks launched by Hezbollah.
Haifa is located about 40 kilometers from Israel's temporary border with Lebanon. It is one of Israel's largest cities and also one of its most important port cities.
Many of the once-bustling streets in the city are now empty, with numerous shops remaining closed even in the morning due to the ongoing conflict.
Shrapnel holes were visible on the exterior walls of some buildings, while the ceilings of others were pierced by shells.
Since September 23, Israel has launched an intensive air campaign on Lebanon, dubbed "Arrows of the North," marking a significant escalation with Hezbollah.
The cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, which began on October 8, 2023, have raised concerns of a wider conflict amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel war in Gaza.
Buildings in Israeli city of Haifa left damaged following Hazbollah's attacks
Buildings in Israeli city of Haifa left damaged following Hazbollah's attacks
The leader of the Taiwan region Lai Ching-te has been deliberately trumpeting his secessionist rhetoric in order to push forward his sinister intentions of increasing hostility and confrontation across the Taiwan Strait and advancing his own political interests, according to scholars in Taiwan.
Lai continued to peddle his so-called "two-state" rhetoric by claiming the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are "not subordinate" to each other in a provocative "Double Ten" (October 10) speech on Thursday, where he again put forth his "Taiwan independence" fallacies.
Lai's remarks demonstrated his unwavering "Taiwan independence" stance, along with his confrontational mindset and were another example of his continuous provocations, according to Cheng You-ping, a professor from Taipei University.
"He uses such arguments to, firstly, stealthily shift the responsibility for peace onto the mainland. Secondly, he seeks to deliberately create the impression of an 'equal' status between the mainland and Taiwan region, as part of his new 'two states' theory discourse. This is his rhetoric style, which may seem unproblematic when people listen to them at the first time. Especially if the general public in Taiwan region do not realize the sinister intentions of Lai Ching-te, they may easily fall into his trap. We can say that his true intention of his conspiracy is to create a nation-to-nation relationship," said Cheng in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
Kao Yuang-kuang, a part-time professor at Chengchi University in Taipei added that Lai's remarks are designed to shore up support ahead of local leadership and legislature elections, rather than to safeguard stability on the Taiwan Strait and ensure people's welfare.
"He makes selective statements to strengthen his power. It is clear that Lai's focus is on solidifying his support base, planning for the regional elections in 2026, and secure his re-election in 2028," said Kao.
Lai Ching-te's confrontational cross-Strait remarks made to boost own political interests: scholars
