The Biden administration believes that Israel has concentrated enough forces on the outskirts of Rafah to launch a large-scale military operation in the coming days, two senior Biden administration officials told CNN.

The officials said that they are not certain if Israel has made a final decision to carry out an expanded operation or not following US President Joe Biden’s warning that he would halt arms shipments to Israel if it launches a full-scale operation in Hamas’s last stronghold.

The officials expressed their “growing concerns” about the “innocent” civilian population in Rafah, saying that Israel has not made the necessary preparations to protect them.

The report quoted National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who said at the White House on Sunday: “The president was clear that he would not supply certain offensive weapons for such an operation if it would occur.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)