US 'moving forward' with 500-pound bombs for Israel

Agence France-Presse

<p>The United States is &quot;moving forward&quot; 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.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">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.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">&quot;We&#x27;ve been clear that our concern has been on the end-use of the 2,000-pound bombs, particularly in advance of Israel&#x27;s Rafah campaign which they have announced they are concluding,&quot; the US official said on condition of anonymity.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">&quot;Because of how these shipments are put together, other munitions may sometimes be co-mingled. That&#x27;s what happened here with the 500-pound bombs,&quot; the official said, adding: &quot;Because our concern was not about the 500-pound bombs, those are moving forward as part of the usual process.&quot;</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly accused President Joe Biden&#x27;s administration of slowing down weapons deliveries to Israel, which has been at war in Gaza since the October 7 attack by Hamas.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">US officials denied the accusations, saying that the single bomb shipment was the only one affected, with the two sides later signaling progress on resolving the rift.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">Biden said during a news conference on Thursday that the 2,000-pound bombs would not be sent to Israel.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">&quot;I&#x27;m not providing the 2,000-pound bombs. They cannot be used in Gaza or any populated area without causing great human tragedy and damage,&quot; the president said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/7/10/israel-army-tells-all-gaza-city-residents-to-flee-heavy-battles-2020">Israel army tells all Gaza City residents to flee heavy battles</a></div><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">The United States is Israel&#x27;s main military backer, but the White House has voiced frustration over the rising civilian death toll in Gaza, where Israel has conducted more than nine months of operations against Hamas.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">The unprecedented October 7 attack by Palestinian militants on southern Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.</p><p style="margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:1em;padding:0px;border:0px;-webkit- line-height:1.3;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);orphans:2;widows:2">Israel&#x27;s retaliatory offensive aimed at eliminating Hamas has killed at least 38,345 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the Gaza health ministry.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/7/7/deadly-strikes-hit-gaza-as-war-enters-tenth-month-1641">Deadly strikes hit Gaza as war enters tenth month</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/7/7/israeli-protesters-push-for-gaza-truce-as-war-enters-10th-month-2232">Israeli protesters push for Gaza truce as war enters 10th month</a></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>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.</p>

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.

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US 'moving forward' with 500-pound bombs for Israel

US 'moving forward' with 500-pound bombs for Israel

Agence France-Presse

Published Jul 12, 2024 09:35 AM PHT

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