US stops sending bombs to Israel due to concerns about operation in Rafah, says US official

The United States has suspended sending bombs to Israel amid concerns about their potential use in a raid on Rafahaccording to a North American official.

The shipment, which was held last week, includes 1,800 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds and 1,700 bombs weighing 500 pounds.

“We are especially focused on the end use of the 2,000-pound bombs and the impact they could have in dense urban environments, as we have seen in other parts of Gaza,” the official said.

A CNN reported over the weekend that an ammunition shipment to Israel was stoppedbut the reason was unclear.

Israeli leaders have warned for weeks that an invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah will occur at some point in the future, even as the US and others have publicly stated that such a ground operation should not occur.

President Joe Biden's administration has called for a Comprehensive plan to protect more than a million civilians sheltered in Rafah and prevent an expansion of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the coastal enclave.

On Monday (6), Israel carried out what the US described as a “limited” operation in Rafahtaking over the border crossing with Egypt, which is an important location for humanitarian aid.

“This appears to be a limited operation, but of course a lot of this depends on what comes next,” State Department spokesman Matt Miller said Tuesday.

“They said, I think quite clearly, that it is no secret that they want to conduct a major military operation there. We make it clear that we oppose such an operation.”

The US and Israel have been in regular communication about the Israeli military's plans to conduct a major ground operation in the southern part of Gaza, but the administration has made clear that the plans are far from ready.

“We’ve seen some concepts, but nothing detailed at this time,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press briefing Monday.

Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that a ground operation in Rafah is necessary to maintain pressure on Hamas to free the remaining hostages and achieve victory.

As Israel's leadership moved closer to a final decision, the US began reviewing proposals for specific weapons transfers to Israel that could be used in Rafah, the US official said.

The review process began in April and led to a pause in shipments of both types of bombs.

“We have not made a final decision on how to proceed with this shipment,” the official said.

Among the largest conventional weapons in the U.S. arsenal, the 2,000-pound bombs can have a devastating impact, especially in a densely populated area like Gaza.

Heavy munitions leave a huge crater and can send deadly shrapnel hundreds of meters from the impact site. One analysis of CNN of satellite images early in the war found more than 500 impact craters consistent with the use of a one-ton bomb.

Marc Garlasco, a former US defense intelligence analyst and former UN war crimes investigator, said in December that the density of Israel's first month of bombings on Gaza “had not been seen since Vietnam.”

The US is also looking at the potential sale or transfer of other munitions, including Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) kits to Israel, the official said. But these transfers are not imminent and will take place in the future, the official added.

The Pentagon declined to comment when asked about the pauses in shipments, but insisted that none of this changes the US commitment to Israel's defense.

“Our commitment to Israel’s security remains steadfast,” said Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh at a press conference on Tuesday.

“You have been seeing this since October 7th. You have seen us increase security assistance to Israel. Therefore, while I will not comment further, I can tell you that our commitments to Israel’s security remain the same.”