Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced Wednesday before a hearing at the Senate that the U.S. has temporarily halted a shipment of high-payload munitions to Israel. The decision reflects concerns over a potential large-scale military offensive in the Gazan city of Rafah, which could have significant humanitarian implications. It also underscores the growing discord between Israel and the U.S. where the Biden administration seeks to condition aid on commitments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to limit civilian casualties. The delayed arms shipment was set to include 3,500 bombs, divided almost evenly between 2,000-pound and 500-pound explosives, Reuters reported. These munitions are designed to enhance the precision of strikes, with technologies like the Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Small Diameter Bombs from Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA). Austin emphasized the need for Israel to take greater precautions to protect civilians in Rafah. The U.S. is particularly worried about the potential for large-scale civilian casualties due ...