The Biden administration is considering slowing down or pausing weaponry sales to Israel in an attempt to pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into scaling back the assault on Hamas in Gaza, according to a report.
The White House has directed the Pentagon to determine which of Israel’s weapons requests could be used as leverage, NBC News reported Sunday, citing four current or former U.S. officials familiar with the discussions.
The proposed tactic reportedly comes after President Biden and members of his administration have repeatedly ask Israel to scale back its assault and reduce civilian casualties in Gaza, only to see the requests go largely unheeded.
Israeli officials continue to request more large aerial bombs, ammunition and air defenses, according to the anonymous sources cited by NBC.
The delivery of air defense weaponry and similar gear is unlikely to be impacted, with the administration preferring to instead focus on offensive equipment, according to the report.
That could include 155 mm artillery rounds and joint direct attack munitions, which are guidance kits used to give dumb bombs the capability of being precision-guided, NBC reported.
In an alternative approach, administration officials have also mulled offering the Israeli government more of the weapons it’s requested to incentivize its compliance with the requests for more targeted strikes, according to the report.
The war began on Oct. 7 with Hamas terrorists’ surprise attack on Israel, which saw some 1,200 people killed and about another 240 taken hostage.
Since, Israel has responded with a large-scale air and ground campaign in Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed in the territory.
In both cases, civilians make up the majority of those killed.




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