Israel’s defence establishment is concerned that the US decision to delay arms deliveries to Israel could affect the Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) preparations for possible conflicts on other fronts.
A senior official, who was not named, commented on the US decision not to supply weapons to Israel because of the ground incursion into Rafah, on state television KAN. The official argued that such a situation could “force Israel to change its attack plans in Gaza” and that Israel could be forced to “economise on armaments” to avoid running out of ammunition.
According to a report in Haaretz, defence officials are concerned about the deterioration in relations between the Israeli government and the Biden administration, and have warned political leaders that this crisis marks a change in Israeli-US relations since the start of the war. According to the report, senior IDF officials warned the government of the possible consequences and stressed the need to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
It was pointed out that the US has halted shipments of bombs and heavy bomb components used by the Israeli Air Force, which are considered vital munitions. The report said that while security officials believe the suspension of these shipments will not directly affect the fighting in Gaza, they see it as a troubling development that could affect the army’s preparedness for possible conflicts in other areas.
In addition, senior defence officials expressed concern that Israel’s enemies may use this crisis as an opportunity to undermine the legitimacy of Israel’s operations in Gaza.
US President Joe Biden, recalling that he had warned on several occasions that Israel should not launch a full-scale ground offensive against Rafah, noted that he had made this point clear in his last meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden said: “If they enter Rafah, they have not yet entered (with a full-scale assault), if they do, I have made it clear that I will not send the weapons that were used in Rafah and other towns.
On 6 May, the Israeli army announced that it had ordered the evacuation of some neighbourhoods in the east of the southern town of Rafah, where some 1.5 million displaced Palestinians have taken refuge, and that it had launched a ground offensive in the Rafah area of Gaza, seizing the Gaza side of the border crossing with Egypt.
