The American Wall Street Journal quoted informed officials as saying that the United States is postponing sending precision weapons to Israel in an atmosphere of controversy with Tel Aviv over the invasion of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

The newspaper quoted current and former American officials as saying that “President Joe Biden’s administration has not notified Congress since last March about other arms deals worth a billion dollars to Israel, including tank ammunition, military vehicles, and mortar shells.”

The Wall Street Journal also quoted a knowledgeable official in the US Congress who described the US administration’s position as unusual, especially in wartime conditions.

Washington has repeatedly announced that it opposes a large-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah unless there is a plan that guarantees the safety of civilians, as it put it.

In recent weeks, American media reports spoke of the delay of some American arms shipments, amid statements by some American lawmakers about the use of American weapons in contravention of international law, but American officials downplayed the importance of these reports.

Since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza on October 7, the United States has transferred shipments of weapons worth billions of dollars to Israel, and about two weeks ago the American President signed a law approved by Congress that includes additional aid to Israel worth $26 billion.

Last March, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed what it described as an unprecedented air and sea bridge in Israel’s history to supply it with American weapons, in support of its military operations in Gaza.

American media reports revealed weeks ago that Israel had been supplied with weapons and ammunition in 100 secret operations since the beginning of the war, including tens of tons of 155 mm shells, tens of thousands of guided bombs, Hellfire surface-to-air missiles, and drones.