US Halts Planned Ammunition Shipment to Israel: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) –The United States abruptly halted a planned shipment of American-made ammunition to Israel last week, as reported by Axios on Sunday.
The White House, increasingly critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza, has not provided an explanation for the alleged interruption.
According to two Israeli officials, the delivery was inexplicably stopped last week, leaving the Israeli government “scrambling to understand why the shipment was held.” Despite inquiries, the White House declined to comment, and the Pentagon, the US State Department, and the Israeli prime minister’s office also chose not to respond.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, initiated a genocidal war on Gaza following a surprise attack by Palestinian resistance groups on October 7 last year, in retaliation for years of Israeli aggression. Nearly seven months later, the death toll from Israel’s deadly campaign approaches 35,000.
Controversial US reactions to Israel’s war in Gaza have sparked heated protests across American campuses. Columbia University, for instance, sought police assistance to manage demonstrations, resulting in over 2,000 protesters being detained nationwide.
An Israeli planned invasion of the densely populated city of Rafah, prompting criticism from US President Joe Biden and his officials towards the Israeli PM. Biden emphasized that the invasion would be a “red line” and publicly rebuked Netanyahu for “indiscriminate” bombing of Gaza.
The State Department sanctioned Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the US abstained from a UN Security Council vote in March, allowing a measure demanding an immediate ceasefire to pass.
Despite the change in rhetoric, the Biden administration has continued arms shipments to Israel, reportedly approving over 100 deliveries since October 7. Details of these shipments are typically undisclosed unless their value exceeds $250 million. Two large packages, approved last month, included over 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs, 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, and more than 1,000 small-diameter munitions.
