US halts delivery of heavy bombs to Israel as IDF launches Rafah operation
Pause in delivery of 1,000lb and 2,000lb bombs marks the first such move from Washington since outbreak of the war on 7 October
The United States paused a delivery of heavy bombs to Israel last week, fearing they would be used in a military operation in the city of Rafah in Gaza.
The pause in delivery of 1,000lb and 2,000lb bombs marks the first such move from Washington since the outbreak of the war on October 7.
The decision was made as it became clear to the Biden administration that Israel was preparing to launch a military operation in Rafah, where some 1,4 million civilians are sheltering.
“As Israeli leaders seemed to approach a decision point last month on such an operation, we began to carefully review proposed transfers of particular weapons to Israel that might be used in Rafah,” Times of Israel cited a senior Biden administration saying.
The U.S. has repeatedly warned Israel not to launch the offensive without a viable evacuation plan. But on Monday, Israel called on some 100,000 Palestinian civilians to evacuate from eastern Rafah as a “limited” operation was launched against Hamas.
Some 20 terrorists were killed in the first 24 hours, according to the army. After IDF took control with the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said it appeared to be a “limited operation so far, but it does to a great extent depend on what comes next.”
“One of the things that Israel said — which is very much accurate — is that Hamas [still] controlled the Gaza side of Rafah crossing, and Hamas was continuing to collect revenue from that crossing being open. So it is a legitimate goal to try and deprive Hamas of money that they could use to continue to finance their terrorist activities,” he added.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said he directed the IDF to enter the Rafah area, “take the crossing, and carry out its missions. This operation will continue until we eliminate Hamas in the Rafah area and the entire Gaza Strip, or until the first hostage returns.”
I want to remind everyone something crucial – the murderers (Hamas terrorists) who went to (the Israeli communities of) Sufa, to Holit, and also targeted Yated, Yevul, Neveh and other local communities, came from the Rafah area. We are targeting (the terrorists) who murdered our children,” he added.
Gallant said Israel is willing to make compromises in order to bring back hostages. “But if that option is removed, we will go on and ‘deepen’ the operation- this will happen all over the Gaza Strip – in the south, in the centre and in the north. Hamas only responds to force, so we will intensify our actions, and the military pressure will result in us crushing the Hamas terrorist organisation.”
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