Taiwan's military fired heavy artillery along the Taichung coast in an annual live-fire drill, and the noise was loud enough that some residents joked online that mainland China had attacked.

• Army units brought out towed 155mm howitzers and TOW missile vehicles for live-fire practice.
• The drill ran through two main tasks: hitting targets in key defensive areas and firing anti-tank weapons.
• Locals woke to booming sounds and posted jokes about an invasion; others thought it was thunder.
• The military said the point was to check that weapons and gear work and to show it can defend the island.
• Troops trained in mud and heat after recent rain, meant to mimic real battlefield conditions.

Outlook: These live-fire drills are now a routine annual fixture as Taiwan keeps testing its coastal defenses.