US reveals it paused shipment of bombs for Israel over Rafah concerns

The US last week paused a bomb shipment for Israel over concerns it was going ahead with a major ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a senior US administration official said.

The shipment consisted of 1,800 2,000lb (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500lb bombs, BBc reports quoting a respective official.

Israel has not "fully addressed" US concerns over the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah, they added.

An Israeli military official appeared to play down the US move.

The delayed arms shipment comes as US President Joe Biden faces mounting domestic pressure - from Democratic lawmakers and some parts of the US public - to rein in Israeli operations in Gaza amid rising civilian deaths and a worsening humanitarian situation.

Despite firm and vocal US opposition, Israel appears poised to mount a large-scale invasion of Rafah, a congested part of southern Gaza that is Hamas' last major stronghold in the territory.

US officials have warned that an operation in the city - where the population has swelled with refugees from other parts of Gaza - could lead to extensive civilian casualties.

IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari told a news conference that the US had provided "unprecedented" security assistance since the beginning of the war, adding that disputes between the allies were resolved "behind closed doors in a matter-of-fact way".

But a leading member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party in Israel told BBC's Newshour on Wednesday that he believes US domestic political considerations are behind the decision to halt the delivery of bombs.