The Biden administration will resume shipping 500lb bombs to Israel but will continue to hold back on supplying 2,000lb bombs over concerns about their use in densely populated Gaza, according to a a US official.
The US in May paused a shipment of 2,000lb and 500lb bombs due to concern over the impact they could have in Gaza[...]
The administration’s particular concern had been use of such large bombs in Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had taken refuge.
“We’ve been clear that our concern has been on the end-use of the 2,000lb bombs, particularly for Israel’s Rafah campaign, which they have announced they are concluding,” a US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
One 2,000lb bomb can rip through thick concrete and metal, creating a wide blast radius.
The US official said the 500lb bombs were put together in the same shipment with the larger ones that were paused and therefore got held up.
“Our main concern had been and remains the potential use of 2,000lb bombs in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza ... Because our concern was not about the 500lb bombs, those are moving forward as part of the usual process,” the official added.
10 Jul 24
I'm sure the parents of the children torn apart by 500lb bombs will be happy that their kids weren't murdered by 2000lb bombs. Thank you, Democrats! Now that's change we can believe in!
