Posted on 06/28/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
The Biden administration is expected to soon release 500-pound bombs that were part of a weapons shipment to Israel put on hold in April over US concerns about the IDF’s military operation in Rafah, one US and one Israeli official told Barak Ravid of Axios on Thursday.
About 1,700 500-lb. bombs are expected to be delivered after Israel's operation in Rafah ends, which is expected to happen in two weeks, an Israeli official told Ravid.
At the same time, US and Israeli officials say the Biden administration is still reviewing another part of the shipment that includes 1,800 2,000-pound bombs.
In early May, Axios reported that President Joe Biden decided to put on hold a weapons shipment that was supposed to be sent to Israel.
The White House later confirmed it had paused a shipment of bombs to Israel due to US opposition to a planned Israeli attack on the Gazan city of Rafah.
A day later, Biden warned that he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Speaking to CNN, Biden said that while the US would continue to provide defensive weapons to Israel, including for its Iron Dome air defense system, other shipments would end should a major ground invasion of Rafah begin.
Subsequently, however, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration notified Congress that it is moving forward with more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel.
US and Israeli officials said the release of the 500-pound bombs was one of the issues discussed in meetings between Israel's Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and senior White House officials.
A source with direct knowledge of the meetings with Gallant said White House officials clarified there is no hold on the 500-pound bombs and that the pause is only on the 2,000-pound bombs.