Haifa residents ordered to shelter in place as Hezbollah attacks continue

The northern Israeli city of Haifa is on heightened security measures as it faces an ongoing barrage of rocket fire from Lebanon, unleashed by the militant group Hezbollah.

Located just 40 kilometers south of the Lebanese border, Haifa, which boasts the country's busiest seaport and a metropolitan population of around one million, is recognized as a primary target for attacks.

"Haifa is the biggest city in the north. We understand that it will be the main strategic point of Hezbollah to shoot over here. Our main purpose here is to prepare the citizens of the city, a lot of explanations of what to do in case of emergency, in case of alarm," said Leonid Reznik, Head of Emergency Preparedness Department of Haifa Municipality.

Hundreds of public shelters are strategically located throughout the city, offering immediate refuge for residents when sirens warn of incoming rockets. The proximity to the border necessitates a swift response, with residents having only one minute to reach the nearest shelter after the alarm sounds.

"We can see that the people in Haifa are listening and doing exactly what the home front command is asking them to do. We are making a lot of explanations about the one minute that they have in case of their alarm and another 10 minutes to stay in the shelters," said Reznik.

Reznik added that during the last warning, debris from rockets fell within the city, prompting residents to seek shelter.

Haifa residents ordered to shelter in place as Hezbollah attacks continue

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Wednesday that Seoul firmly adheres to the one-China principle, in comments made ahead of his upcoming state visit to China.

The remarks were made in an interview with China Media Group (CMG). The visit is scheduled for Jan 4–7.

"The consensus reached between governments of the Republic of Korea and China when diplomatic relations were established continues to be the fundamental principle governing our relations, and its effectiveness remains steadfast. I want to clearly state that the ROK has always adhered to the one-China principle. Maintaining peace and stability in regional matters, including in Northeast Asia and concerning the Taiwan issue, holds significant importance to us," said Lee.

"The foundational relationship between the ROK and China was established on a very principled and fundamental basis from the beginning. It is clear that the ROK government has always adhered to this position and has never wavered from it. I believe that the sound development of ROK-China relations depends on both sides fully respecting each other's core interests and being mutually tolerant of each other's positions. In this context, we will, as always, uphold the one-China principle as the Taiwan issue is China's most fundamental concern," he said.

ROK president reiterates firm adherence to one-China principle