US stopped sending bombs to Israel last week due to worries that Israel was getting close to deciding to launch a full-scale attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against US preferences, according to a senior administration official on Tuesday.
According to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject, the shipment was supposed to contain 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs. The US was particularly concerned about the larger explosives and how they could be used in a densely populated area.
Following the terrorist group’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, more than a million residents sought refuge in Rafah after fleeing other areas of Gaza.
Despite months of resistance from the White House, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government appeared to be moving closer to an invasion of Rafah in April, prompting President Joe Biden’s administration to start considering future shipments of military assistance to Israel.
According to the official, the decision to halt the shipment was taken last week, and it hasn’t been decided whether to move forward with it now or at a later time.
The evaluation did not address upcoming shipments; rather, it concerned the State Department’s independent deliberation over whether to authorize the continuous supply of Joint Direct Attack Munition kits which mount precision guidance systems on bombs to Israel.
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