Israel bombs Rafah as Biden threatens arms suspension

Israel shelled Rafah on Thursday as US President Joe Biden offered his starkest warning yet over the conduct of its war on Gaza, vowing to cut off arms transfers if an offensive into the southern Gaza city goes ahead.

Israel has already defied international objections by sending in tanks and conducting "targeted raids" in the border city, where an estimated 1.4 million displaced Palestinian civilians.

Israel on Thursday called the threat "very disappointing."

Biden told CNN that, "If they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons that have been used... to deal with the cities." He added: "We're not gonna supply the weapons and the artillery shells that have been used."

Israel early Tuesday seized Rafah's border crossing into Egypt, which has served as the main entry point for aid into besieged Gaza.

© Al-Araby Al-Jadeed