U.S.withholdsarmsshipmenttoIsraelover"seriousconcerns"aboutRafahoffensive:StateDept_GuangmingOnlineU.S.withholdsarmsshipmenttoIsraelover"seriousconcerns"aboutRafahoffensive:StateDeptU.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintestifiesbeforetheSenateAppropriationsCommitteeSubcommitteeonDefenseinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onMay8,2024.TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.(PhotobyAaronSchwartz/Xinhua)WASHINGTON,May8(Xinhua)--TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.MatthewMiller,thespokespersonfortheStateDepartment,confirmedthehaltofsecurityassistancetoIsraelatapressbriefing,tellingreportersthattheadministrationofPresidentJoeBidenisreviewingothershipmentsasthesituationinRafahunfolds."WehaveveryseriousconcernsaboutapotentialRafahoperation.Wehaveconcernsaboutwhatthatwouldmeanforthecivilianpopulation,"Millersaid,addingthatsuchconcernsontheU.S.sidestemmedfrom"thewayIsraelhasconducteditsoperationsinthepastandwhattheimpactonthecivilianpopulationhasbeen."Miller'sconfirmationofthedelaycamedaysaftermultipleU.S.mediaoutletsreportedontheadministration'smove,withAxioses-whichfirstpublishedsuchareport-citingasenioradministrationofficialassayingthatweaponsbeingputonholdincluded1,8002,000-poundbombsand1,700500-poundbombs."Wealsohaveconcernsabouttheimpactofanypotentialoperationonthedeliveryofhumanitarianassistance,"Millersaid,urgingIsraeltoopentheRafahcrossingsothathumanitarianassistancewouldcontinueflowingintoGaza.TheIsraelDefenseForces(IDF)saidinastatementearlyTuesdaythatitstroops"managedtoestablishoperationalcontroloftheGazanside"oftheRafahcrossingfollowinga"precisecounterterrorismoperation"launchedovernightagainstHamas.MillersaidtheIDF'sincursionintoRafahwasconductedwithoutU.S.approval,addingthatWashingtonconsideredittobethe"firstpriority"thattheRafahcrossingbekeptopen.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintestifiesbeforetheSenateAppropriationsCommitteeSubcommitteeonDefenseinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onMay8,2024.TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.(PhotobyAaronSchwartz/Xinhua)U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintestifiesbeforetheSenateAppropriationsCommitteeSubcommitteeonDefenseinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onMay8,2024.TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.(PhotobyAaronSchwartz/Xinhua)U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintestifiesbeforetheSenateAppropriationsCommitteeSubcommitteeonDefenseinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onMay8,2024.TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.(PhotobyAaronSchwartz/Xinhua)U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustin(Front)testifiesbeforetheSenateAppropriationsCommitteeSubcommitteeonDefenseinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onMay8,2024.TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.(PhotobyAaronSchwartz/Xinhua)U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintestifiesbeforetheSenateAppropriationsCommitteeSubcommitteeonDefenseinWashington,D.C.,theUnitedStates,onMay8,2024.TheUnitedStateshaswithheldoneshipmentofnear-termweaponsaidtoIsraeldueto"seriousconcerns"thataloominglarge-scalemilitaryoperationinRafahbyIsraeliforceswouldcausesignificantlossofcivilianlives,theStateDepartmentsaidonWednesday.EarlieronWednesday,U.S.DefenseSecretaryLloydAustintoldsenatorsonCapitolHillashetestifiedonthePentagon'sfiscalyear2025budgetproposalthatthePentagonis"goingtocontinuetodowhat'snecessarytoensurethatIsraelhasthemeanstodefenditself.""Butthatsaid,wearecurrentlyreviewingsomenear-termsecurityassistanceshipmentsinthecontextofunfoldingeventsinRafah,"headded.(PhotobyAaronSchwartz/Xinhua)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.