American President Joe Biden has warned that the US would not provide offensive weapons to Israel for a potential full-scale assault on Rafah, a critical Hamas stronghold in Gaza. In an interview with CNN, Biden affirmed the US's commitment to Israel's defense by continuing to supply Iron Dome rocket interceptors and other defensive equipment. However, he made it clear that if Israeli forces were to enter Rafah, the US would withhold supplying weapons and artillery shells.
Biden reiterated the conditional nature of US military support: "I made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone in Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, that deal with that problem." Biden's stance marks a significant policy shift, emphasizing a strategic withdrawal from supporting offensive operations in such densely populated areas, saying, "We’re not walking away from Israel’s security. We’re walking away from Israel’s ability to wage war in those areas."
