US Defence chief confirms arms shipment to Israel delayed over Rafah

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin confirmed that the Biden administration has delayed a weapons shipment to Israel over concerns about its invasion of Rafah.

Austin’s comments at a Senate hearing mark the first public acknowledgment from the Biden administration that it has delayed arms shipments over frustration with Israel.

Austin said the White House has "been very clear...from the very beginning that Israel shouldn’t launch a major attack into Rafah without accounting for and protecting the civilians that are in that battlespace,” he said.

“As we have assessed the situation, we have paused one shipment of high payload munitions," adding that a final decision hasn't been made yet.