Israeli tanks and fighter jets hit more targets in Rafah
FOX News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Greg Palcott reports on Israel’s operation in Rafah amid the humanitarian crisis and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to President Biden on the U.S. weapons withholding in a “special report.” ing.
Shipments of two types of precision bombs to Israel are still stalled after being suspended by the US in opposition to Israeli military operations in Rafah.
The cargo included 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs that the Biden administration said could be used on Rafah.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder confirmed that bomb shipments have been temporarily suspended, but future shipments are still undetermined.
“We have not yet finalized how we will proceed with this shipment,” Ryder said.
Biden vows to withhold weapons from Israel if Netanyahu goes ahead with Rafah invasion
Smoke billows after an Israeli airstrike on buildings near the separation wall between Egypt and Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, May 7. (AP/Ramez Haboob)
U.S. officials said in a statement to FOX News Digital on Wednesday that the U.S. position is that Israel should not launch a large-scale ground operation in Rafah, where more than 1 million people are currently evacuated.
“We have a dialogue with Israel in the form of a strategic consultative group on how to respond to the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah and how to act against Hamas differently than in other areas of Gaza. I have been there,” the official continued. “Those discussions are ongoing and have not adequately addressed our concerns. We are concerned about the possibility of being used in Rafah, as Israeli leaders appear to be nearing a decision point on such operations.” “We began to carefully consider the transfer of certain types of weapons to Israel. This began in April.” ”
Following this review, the U.S. decided last week to suspend shipments of the bomb, officials said, and the administration warned of the final use of the 2,000-pound bomb and the “high-density effects it could have.” “We are focusing particularly on this,” he said. It’s an urban environment similar to what we’ve seen in other parts of Gaza. ”
Many Israelis feel ‘betrayed’ as Biden threatens to withhold weapons to defeat Hamas in Rafah
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday that the United States is undecided on what to do with bomb shipments to Israel held up by the Israeli operation in Rafah. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
The official also stressed that these shipments have nothing to do with additional Israeli spending passed last month.
The U.S. official’s statement comes after two Israeli officials told Axios that supplies of U.S. ammunition to Israel were suspended last week for the first time since Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on the Jewish state. Announced.
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On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces on the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing after its forces launched a “precision counterterrorism operation” aimed at killing Hamas terrorists in eastern Rafah and dismantling Hamas terrorist infrastructure within specific areas of the east. announced that it had gained operational control. Mr. Rafa. ”
Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report.
