Lloyd Austin Confirms U.S. Holds Back Arms from Israel Amid Rafah Conflict

The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, confirmed that a shipment of weapons to Israel is being withheld due to concerns about its attack on Hamas in Rafah during a recent Senate hearing. Austin reiterated the Biden administration’s strong commitment to Israel’s security but expressed worries about Israel’s potential use of large bombs in Rafah, leading to the pause in the shipment. Despite the pause, Austin clarified that this action does not impact the significant military aid allocated to Israel in the national security budget. However, some Republican senators criticized this decision, arguing that Israel needs all necessary support to fight against threats from Iran and terrorist groups. Austin defended the move by emphasizing the importance of using the “right kinds of weapons” and maintaining the position that there should be no major conflict in Rafah. Nevertheless, critics raised concerns about the implications of pausing the arms shipment and questioned Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian casualties in the midst of the conflict.