AFP: The United States is “moving forward” with sending 500-pound bombs to Israel after a pause over concerns that 2,000-pound munitions in the same shipment could be used in populated areas, a US official said Thursday.
Washington halted the bomb shipment in early May when it appeared Israel was on the verge of a major ground operation in Rafah in southern Gaza that the US government strongly opposed, with Israel eventually launching a more limited incursion instead. “We’ve been clear that our concern has been on the end-use of the 2,000-pound bombs, particularly in advance of Israel’s Rafah campaign which they have announced they are concluding.”