In recent news, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed an ongoing pause on a shipment of heavy bombs to Israel while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed concerns over the “withholding of weapons” by the Biden administration.
During a news conference at the US State Department, Blinken stated that the Biden administration is “continuing to review one shipment of 2,000-pound bombs due to concerns about their use in densely populated areas like Rafah.” However, Blinken emphasized that the administration is committed to ensuring that Israel has the necessary resources to defend itself effectively.
The pause in the shipment of heavy bombs was initially announced in early May amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. It signaled President Biden’s willingness to take action if Israel escalated military operations in Rafah. The decision to withhold the weapons received mixed reactions from Israeli officials and some US lawmakers.
In a video statement, Netanyahu pushed back against the pause, stating that he had raised concerns with Blinken about the administration withholding weapons. Blinken, on the other hand, did not confirm whether he had made assurances to Netanyahu during their diplomatic discussions.
Despite the hold on heavy bombs, the US has continued to move forward with other arms sales and transfers to Israel. In fact, CNN reported that key Democratic lawmakers recently approved an $18 billion sale of F-15 fighter jets to Israel.
Overall, the Biden administration is navigating a delicate balance between providing Israel with necessary military support while also considering the implications of weapon use in densely populated areas like Rafah. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
Contributions to this report were made by CNN’s Michael Conte, Eugenia Yosef, and Vasco Cotovio.
