US President Joe Biden’s administration will resume shipping 500-pound bombs to Israel but will continue to hold back on supplying 2,000-pound bombs over concerns about their use in densely populated Gaza, Reuters reports quoting a US official.

The administration’s particular concern is the use of such large ordnance in Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had taken refuge.

“We’ve been clear that our concern has been on the end-use of the 2,000-lb (pound) bombs, particularly for Israel’s Rafah campaign which they have announced they are concluding,” a US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The US official said the 500-pound bombs were put together in the same shipment with the larger ones that were paused and therefore got held up.

“Our main concern had been and remains the potential use of 2,000 lb bombs in Rafah and elsewhere in Gaza […] Because our concern was not about the 500 lb bombs, those are moving forward as part of the usual process,” the official added.

The US has notified Israel that it is releasing the 500-pound bombs but keeping the hold on the larger ones, a person familiar with the matter said.

Opinion

A changed world

A changed world

The phrase ‘security provider’ sounds impressive but there is little clarity on what it means for the country.

Editorial

Bannu attack
Updated 12 May, 2026

Bannu attack

The security narrative and strategy of the KP government diverges considerably from the state’s position.
Cotton crisis
12 May, 2026

Cotton crisis

PAKISTAN’S cotton economy is once again facing a crisis that exposes the country’s flawed agricultural and...
Buddhist heritage
12 May, 2026

Buddhist heritage

THE revival of Buddhist chants at the ancient Dharmarajika Stupa in Taxila after nearly 1,500 years is much more ...
New regional order
Updated 11 May, 2026

New regional order

The fact is that the US has only one true security commitment in the Middle East — Israel.
A better start
11 May, 2026

A better start

THE first 1,000 days of a child’s life often shape decades to come. In Pakistan, where chronic malnutrition has...
Widening gap
11 May, 2026

Widening gap

PAKISTAN’S monthly trade deficit ballooned to $4.07bn last month, its highest level since June 2022, further...