The Biden Administration Halts Bomb Shipment to Israel Amid Concerns Over Rafah Invasion
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Last week, the Biden administration halted the transfer of thousands of bombs to Israel due to concerns over a potential Israeli invasion of Rafah, the last remaining stronghold of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The shipment, intended to transfer 3,500 bombs to Israel, was suspended by the United States amid worries that the larger munitions in the package could be used in densely populated urban areas, according to an anonymous government official speaking to the Associated Press.
This pause marks the first public suspension of military aid to Israel by the U.S. since the Hamas attack on October 7. A U.S. official described the decision to The Washington Post as a “precise shot,” aimed at signaling the Biden administration’s discomfort with a potential Rafah operation.
Despite these concerns, Axios reported on Tuesday that Israel’s ongoing limited involvement in Rafah has not crossed the administration’s “red line.” President Biden reiterated his “ironclad” support for Israel “even when we disagree” during a speech on Tuesday addressing anti-Semitism. However, in a conversation on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden indicated that the U.S. would not support a large-scale ground operation in Rafah, with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan recently stating that the nature of Israel’s involvement in Rafah will impact the U.S. stance on the broader conflict.
The decision to halt the arms shipment comes at a time when the Biden administration is expected to issue a statement on whether Israeli airstrikes and restrictions on aid to Gaza have violated U.S. and international law. This review, agreed upon by the White House in February following pressure from some Senate Democrats, aims to determine the legality of Israel’s actions. Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday that the Biden administration expects to have its review completed by Wednesday, although it may extend until the end of the week. President Biden previously criticized Israel’s “indiscriminate” airstrikes in December and hinted at the possibility of reducing military aid following Israel’s accidental killing of seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers in April.
