The Biden administration paused the supply of thousands of large bombs to Israel last week in opposition to apparent moves by the Israelis to invade the Gaza city of Rafah, US officials have confirmed.
The US president, Joe Biden, has been trying to head off a full-scale assault by Israel against the southern city, where more than a million displaced Palestinian have sought refuge from combat elsewhere in Gaza.
The highly significant move comes amid mounting international pressure on Israel to pull back from a full-scale attack after its seizure on Tuesday of the city’s border crossing with Egypt, and criticism of Israel’s use of large aerial munitions in areas packed with civilians.
The weapons – 1,000lb and 2,000lb bombs – had long been seen by experts as the most likely to be targeted for any potential restrictions on arms supplies to Israel given how destructive they are in urban settings…..more
