The US is halting arms deliveries to Israel due to ‘serious concerns’ about the Rafah offensive

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Defense Subcommittee on May 8, 2024 in Washington, DC, the United States. (Photo/Xinhua)

The United States has withheld one shipment of short-term arms aid to Israel due to “serious concerns” that a threatened large-scale military operation in Rafah by Israeli forces would cause significant civilian casualties, the State Department said on Wednesday.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller confirmed the freeze on security assistance to Israel at a news conference, telling reporters that President Joe Biden’s administration is assessing other shipments as the situation in Rafah unfolds.

“We have very serious concerns about a possible Rafah operation. We are concerned about what that would mean for the civilian population,” Miller said, adding that such concerns on the U.S. side stemmed from “the way Israel has conducted its operations in the past.” and what the impact has been on the civilian population.”

Miller’s confirmation of the delay came days after multiple US media outlets reported on the administration’s move, with Axios – which published the first such report – quoting a senior administration official as saying the weapons put on hold included 1,800 2,000 pound bombs and 1,700,500 bombs. pound bombs.

“We are also concerned about the impact of a potential operation on the delivery of humanitarian aid,” Miller said, urging Israel to open the Rafah crossing so that humanitarian aid would continue to flow into Gaza.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement early Tuesday that its forces “succeeded in establishing operational control over the Gazan side” of the Rafah crossing, following a “precise counter-terrorism operation” carried out overnight against Hamas was launched.

Miller said the IDF raid on Rafah was carried out without US approval, adding that Washington considered it its “first priority” that the Rafah crossing remain open.

Earlier on Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told senators on Capitol Hill, while testifying on the Pentagon’s FY 2025 budget proposal, that the Pentagon “will continue to do whatever it takes to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself.”

“But having said that, we are currently assessing some short-term security assistance shipments in the context of the events in Rafah,” he added.