Israeli tanks burst into Rafah as IDF seizes control in fight to ‘eliminate last Hamas battalions’
THE US axed a shipment of 3,500 heavy-duty bombs bound for Israel over fears they would be used to hit Rafah.Israeli tanks poised next to the Gaza border ahead of what the US fears will be a full-scale assault on the cityThe US blocked a shipment of 1,800 2,000lb bombs and 1,700 500lb bombs to Israel over fears of a full-scale invasion to RafahThe cancelled weapons shipment consisted of 1,800 2,000lb bombs and another 1,700 500lb bombs, a senior US official has now revealed.
The IDF said it was "eliminating terrorists" and "terrorist infrastructure", adding that their fighter jets had hit over 100 "terror targets".Israel says Rafah is Hamas's last stronghold, but the US opposes a full-scale invasion of the city unless Israel provides a credible plan for protecting civilians there.Just hours later, the IDF began what it called "targeted" strikes against Hamas.
Israeli leaders have repeatedly rejected that trade-off, vowing to keep up their campaign until Hamas is destroyed.Meanwhile in Cairo, negotiators are still working to make good on their "last chance" to cement a ceasefire deal. A senior Hamas official warned this would be Israel's "last chance" to free the scores of hostages still in the terrorists' hands."Everybody's coming to the table," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. "That's not insignificant."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice.
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