The United States has taken a significant step by halting the shipment of 3,500 bombs to Israel due to apprehensions about the potential urban collateral damage in Rafah, Gaza. This pause underscores the gravity of the Biden administration’s concerns over Israel’s proposed military actions, as numerous sources, including CNN, the New York Times, and ABC News, report. Notably, the paused arsenal includes 1,800 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds and 1,700 bombs at 500 pounds, with a particular focus on the larger munitions due to their devastating impact in densely populated areas.
Amid the six-month-long Israel-Gaza war, sparked by a deadly Hamas attack on October 7, 2024, this decision represents a marked deviation in U.S.-Israel relations, traditionally characterized by robust military support. This shift arrives against the backdrop of extensive international scrutiny on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which followed the surprise attack by Hamas that claimed the lives of at least 1,200 Israelis. The U.S. reassessment of military aid also coincides with a harrowing tally of more than 34,000 Palestinian casualties as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry, fueling increasing protests against Israel in academic institutions globally.
The U.S. pause in munition shipments to Israel signifies a notable attempt to exercise diplomatic leverage. President Biden has described the bombing as “indiscriminate,” but he has been reluctant to leverage weapons transfers to try to force a change in Israel’s behavior. Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh has communicated the administration’s objections, emphasizing the substantial civilian population sheltering in Rafah and the imperative to minimize civilian harm.
Israel’s military has been advised by the U.S. to comply with humanitarian laws and the laws of armed conflict, with the State Department and other agencies actively reviewing compliance. The strategic pause also comes at a juncture when CIA Director William Burns is engaged in regional talks to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, indicative of intensive diplomatic efforts to defuse the escalating situation.
While the halt in bomb deliveries is unlikely to stymie a potential offensive due to Israel’s already sizeable missile arsenal, it signals a stern message of caution from the U.S. regarding Israel’s course of action. Nonetheless, the enduring strength of the U.S.-Israel alliance continues to be affirmed at high levels of the American administration, despite this conflict of interests manifesting in the pause of weapon transfers.
Amid this charged atmosphere, the Biden administration faces the complex task of balancing its “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security, as iterated by President Biden, with its obligation to uphold the principles of international humanitarian law. As developments unfold, with the imminent submission of a report to Congress assessing the legality of Israel’s use of U.S.-supplied weaponry, the world watches closely to see how this tension between strategic alliance and human rights considerations will be navigated.
Relevant articles:
– The D Brief: DOD’s Rafah concerns; Mideast diplomacy; ‘SOF renaissance’; Hurricane hunters’ woes; And a bit more., Defense One, 05/08/2024
– U.S. paused shipment of thousands of bombs to Israel amid Rafah rift, The Washington Post, 05/08/2024
– US paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says, The Associated Press, 05/08/2024
– Israel frustrated U.S. paused weapons shipment over Rafah assault concerns, official says, NBC News, 05/08/2024
– Biden withheld bomb shipment to Israel out of fears it could be used in Rafah: Source, ABC News, 05/08/2024