US reveals it paused shipment of bombs for Israel over Rafah concerns

The US last week paused a bomb shipment for Israel over concerns it was going ahead with a major ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a senior US administration official said.

The shipment consisted of 1,800 2,000lb (907kg) bombs and 1,700 500lb bombs, the official told the BBC.

Israel has not "fully addressed" US concerns over the humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah, they added.

An Israeli military official appeared to play down the US move.

The delayed arms shipment comes as US President Joe Biden faces mounting domestic pressure - from Democratic lawmakers and some parts of the US public - to rein in Israeli operations in Gaza amid rising civilian deaths and a worsening humanitarian situation.