![The U.S. resumes shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel but delays 2,000-pound bombs over concerns about their use in Gaza.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/US-sending-bombs-to-Israel-CLEAN-GETTY.jpg?w=1920)
[KARAH RUCKER]
THE UNITED STATES IS RESUMING SHIPPING 500-POUND BOMBS TO ISRAEL — AFTER PAUSING THE SHIPMENT OF NEARLY TWO THOUSAND OF THEM IN MID-MAY.
HOWEVER — U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY’LL CONTINUE TO HOLD BACK ON A DELIVERY OF MUCH LARGER TWO THOUSAND POUND BOMBS OVER CONCERNS THEY COULD BE USED IN DENSELY POPULATED AREAS OF GAZA.
THE U.S. IS SPECIFICALLY CONCERNED THE LARGE BOMBS WOULD BE USED IN ISRAEL’S GROUND INVASION OF RAFAH — WHERE MORE THAN A MILLION PALESTINIANS HAVE TAKEN REFUGE SINCE THE WAR WITH HAMAS BEGAN.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE SMALLER 500 POUND BOMBS HAD BEEN PUT TOGETHER IN A SHIPMENT WITH THE LARGER BOMBS… WHICH IS WHY THEY WERE DELAYED — BUT HAVE SINCE BEEN SEPARATED AND CAN NOW BE SENT TO ISRAEL.