The U.S. has historically provided enormous amounts of military aid to Israel.
FILE - Smoke rises following an Israel i airstrike east of Rafah , Gaza Strip, Monday, May 6, 2024. that Israel could use to launch an all-out assault on Rafah — the last major Hamas stronghold in Gaza — over concern for the well-being of the more than 1 million civilians sheltering there.
"We're not walking away from Israel's security," Biden continued. "We're walking away from Israel's ability to wage war in those areas."earlier Wednesday confirmed the weapons delay, telling the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense that the U.S. paused "one shipment of high payload munitions."
Biden's administration in April began reviewing future transfers of military assistance as Netanyahu's government appeared to move closer toward an invasion of Rafah, despite months of opposition from the White House. The official said the decision to pause the shipment was made last week and no final decision had been made yet on whether to proceed with the shipment at a later date.
Biden has faced pressure from some on the left — and condemnation from the critics on the right who say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally. Austin, meanwhile, told lawmakers that "it's about having the right kinds of weapons for the task at hand." Privately, concern has mounted inside the White House about what's unfolding in Rafah, but publicly administration officials have stressed that they did not think the operations had defied Biden's warnings against a widescale operation in the city.
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