US to halt some arms supplies if Israel invades Rafah
Mike Wendling & Tom Bateman in Washington
President Joe Biden has warned Israel that the US will stop supplying some weapons if it launches a major ground operation in the Gaza city of Rafah.
“If they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah,” he said during an interview with CNN.
He added that he would “continue to make sure Israel is secure”.
Despite firm and vocal US opposition, Israel appears poised to mount a large-scale invasion of Rafah.
The congested part of southern Gaza is Hamas’s 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.
“We’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells,” Mr Biden said in the interview, which will air later on Wednesday.
He said the US did not define the current situation in Rafah as a ground operation. “They haven’t gone into the population centres. What they did is right on the border,” he said.
“But I’ve made it clear to [Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu] and the war cabinet, they’re not going to get our support, if in fact they go in these population centres.”
