The Biden administration has paused shipments of precision bombs to Israel over concerns about the use of the weapons in the ongoing Rafah operation, where Israeli forces are targeting Hamas terrorists in an area with over a million civilians seeking shelter.
**Paragraph 1:** The Biden administration has temporarily halted shipments of two types of precision bombs to Israel, citing concerns about their potential use in the Israeli military's operation in Rafah, a densely populated area along the Gaza-Egypt border. The decision underscores growing tensions between the US and Israel over the ongoing conflict.
**Paragraph 2:** According to a US official, the administration is reviewing the proposed transfers of 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs, fearing their potential use in Rafah, where more than a million civilians are sheltering with nowhere else to go.
**Paragraph 3:** The US position has been clear: it opposes a major Israeli ground operation in Rafah, emphasizing the humanitarian needs of civilians and the need for a different approach against Hamas in the area. The official stated that ongoing discussions on these matters have not fully addressed US concerns.
**Paragraph 4:** The US has engaged in discussions with Israel through the Strategic Consultative Group format, seeking assurances on how Israel will address the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah. However, these discussions have yet to fully resolve US concerns.
**Paragraph 5:** As Israeli leaders approached a decision on a potential ground operation in Rafah, the US began a careful review of proposed weapons transfers that could be used in such an operation, with a specific focus on the 2,000-pound bombs and their potential impact in dense urban settings.
**Paragraph 6:** The review process resulted in the decision to pause the shipment of the bombs last week, with a final determination on the future of the transfer still pending. The official emphasized the ongoing review of other cases, including Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits, without any imminent transfers planned.
**Paragraph 7:** The official stressed that the halted shipments are not connected to the recent Israel supplemental appropriations, which remain intact. They clarified that the weapons in question were drawn from previously appropriated funds, and that the US remains committed to providing Israel with all the funds allocated in the supplemental.
**Paragraph 8:** In a separate announcement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared that it had gained operational control of the Gazan side of the Rafah Crossing, following a "precise counterterrorism operation" in eastern Rafah. The operation aimed to eliminate Hamas terrorists and dismantle their infrastructure in the area.
**Paragraph 9:** The US-Israel relationship has faced strain over the Rafah operation, with two Israeli officials reporting to Axios that US-manufactured ammunition shipments to Israel were halted for the first time since Hamas' attack against Israel in October 2021.
**Paragraph 10:** Amidst the ongoing conflict and humanitarian concerns, the US and Israel continue to engage in discussions, seeking common ground and a path toward a resolution that ensures the safety of civilians and addresses the security challenges posed by Hamas.
