Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite tales on this weekly e-newsletter.The US final week “paused one cargo of excessive payload munitions” to Israel over considerations about its looming floor operation in Rafah, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin stated.Washington has not determined the ultimate destiny of the munitions, however is worried about their potential use in Rafah, he informed a congressional listening to on Wednesday.“We’re going to proceed to do what’s mandatory to make sure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” Austin stated. “However that stated we’re at the moment reviewing some near-term security help shipments within the context of unfolding occasions in Rafah.” Israel despatched floor troops into Rafah on Monday night time, seizing the principle border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, and has threatened to develop the operation.The US has repeatedly opposed Israel’s plans to launch a big floor operation into town, the place greater than 1mn civilians are sheltering from the preventing elsewhere within the Gaza Strip. Israel says Rafah is Hamas’s final stronghold.“We’ve been very clear in regards to the steps that we’d wish to see Israel take to account for, to maintain these civilians earlier than main fight takes place,” Austin stated. “We definitely wish to see no main fight happen in Rafah however our focus is on ensuring we defend the civilians.”RecommendedThe pause in arms provides marks the primary identified time that the US has held up a possible weapons delivery since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 and the Jewish state launched its retaliatory offensive in opposition to the militant group in Gaza.The US made the choice to withhold the cargo final week after discussions with Israel over how it would meet the humanitarian wants of civilians in Rafah didn’t totally fulfill Washington’s considerations.Israel’s navy tried to minimize any rift, with Israel Protection Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari saying at a convention in Tel Aviv that the allies would resolve any disagreements “behind closed doorways”.“We’re answerable for the safety pursuits of Israel and we take note of the US pursuits within the area,” he stated on the occasion, hosted by the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper.Along with the cargo paused final week, the US state division stated Washington was additionally reviewing different future deliveries.“We’ve paused one cargo of near-term help and we’re reviewing others,” stated Matthew Miller, the state division spokesperson. “We stay dedicated to Israel’s defence, however within the context of the unfolding state of affairs in Rafah, it’s a place the place we’ve very critical considerations, and that’s why we take the actions we take.”A senior US official stated the method that led to the cargo pause started in April, with the Pentagon finally withholding 1,800 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs.The usage of a number of the most harmful US-supplied bombs in Israel’s arsenal has come underneath intense worldwide scrutiny since their use in closely populated areas can result in unexpected civilian casualties. The US navy has used 2,000-pound bombs solely sparingly in its current navy campaigns within the area.“We’re particularly centered on the end-use of the two,000-pound bombs and the affect they may have in dense city settings, as we’ve seen in different parts of Gaza,” the senior US official stated. “We’ve not made a ultimate dedication on how one can proceed with this cargo.”The Biden administration had additionally informally delayed shipments of Joint Direct Assault Munition kits and small-diameter bombs, in accordance with individuals conversant in the matter. The official stated these instances remained underneath evaluation.Really useful“For sure different instances on the state division, together with JDAM kits, we’re persevering with the evaluation,” the official stated. “None of those instances contain imminent transfers — they’re about future transfers.”Not one of the delays have been linked to supplemental funding of $14.1bn for Israel handed final month, the senior official stated.“We’re dedicated to making sure Israel will get each greenback appropriated within the supplemental,” the official stated, including that the US had simply authorized $827mn in weapons and tools for Israel.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to remove Hamas after the group killed about 1,200 individuals and seized 250 hostages in its October 7 invasion of southern Israel, in accordance with Israeli figures.Israel’s retaliatory offensive on Gaza has killed virtually 35,000 individuals, in accordance with Palestinian well being officers.