Israel 'incorporated' US concerns about Rafah attack into planning, US official says

A senior US official said Israel has been tailoring its plans for an assault on Rafah along the lines of US requests, a  statement that means the Biden administration does not appear to rule Israel’s attack on the southern Gaza border city risks violating a redline that could cut off arms shipments.

“It’s fair to say that the Israelis have updated their plans. They’ve incorporated many of the concerns that we have expressed,” a senior US official told reporters at a press briefing.

“I have to say after coming out of Israel these past couple of days…it is pretty clear. that the Israelis are taking those concerns seriously,” the senior US official said. 

US President Joe Biden said he would suspend some arms transfers to Israel if it launched a full-scale attack on Rafah.