US authorities confirm delay in supplies of ammunition to Israel

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that the United States has suspended the supply of one shipment of high-yield munitions to Israel amid Washington’s concerns about Israel’s military operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

Axios previously reported that the United States had suspended some arms supplies to Israel, citing sources. The reports were later confirmed The New York Times And Associated Pressalso citing sources.

At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on May 8, Austin said, “After assessing the situation, we have suspended shipments of one shipment of high-yield ammunition. We have not yet made a final decision regarding how to proceed with that shipment,” the report said. Reuters.

According to the Pentagon chief, the Biden administration opposes a possible Israeli operation in Rafah, fearing for the fate of Palestinian civilians.

A State Department spokesman also confirmed the suspension of the shipment of one shipment of ammunition. He also noted that there was an “evaluation” of other supplies to Israel, without providing details.

It is reported that the transfer to Israel of 1,800 bombs weighing 2 thousand pounds (907 kg), as well as 1,700 bombs weighing 500 pounds (approximately 227 kg) has been suspended. They are not included in the aid package recently passed by Congress for Israel, but among supplies previously approved. The decision to suspend supplies was reportedly made last week with the participation of President Joe Biden.

However, Israel had not yet carried out an operation in Rafah last week. This Monday, after the next round of negotiations on a possible ceasefire in Cairo did not bring results, the Israeli military called for the evacuation of residents of several areas of Rafah, saying that an operation against the Hamas group (recognized as terrorist in the US and EU) would take place there. Subsequently, the bombing began. The Israeli military also occupied the Rafah checkpoint on the border with Egypt from the Gaza Strip. There are no street battles in the city itself yet.

• Israel launched a military operation in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas group, designated a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, attacked the south of the country on October 7. Then more than 1,200 civilians were killed, more than 250 people were taken hostage and taken to Gaza. Israel has stated that its goal is the complete destruction of Hamas. Israeli authorities call Rafah the last stronghold of jihadists.
• The United States warned Israel against conducting a military operation in southern Gaza. Washington drew attention to the fact that there are about a million refugees from other areas of Gaza in Rafah.
• Many countries accuse Israel of excessive cruelty towards civilians. According to Gaza’s Hamas-controlled Health Ministry, about 35,000 Palestinians have died in the strip since October. The Israeli military says it is only attacking the group’s infrastructure and claims Hamas is locating its facilities in densely populated areas, using civilians as human shields.