US pauses Israel weapons shipment due to Rafah offensive: US defense secretary

President Joe Biden's decision to hold up delivery of high payload munitions to Israel was taken over a possible Israeli offensive in Rafah that Washington believes could put Palestinian civilians at risk, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Wednesday.

"We've been very clear... from the very beginning that Israel shouldn't launch a major attack into Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians that are in that battlespace," Austin told a Senate hearing.

"We've not made a final determination on how to proceed with that shipment."

Reuters