Israel has seen arms embargoes before
But this time it will struggle without American military support
![Pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold a rally outside the U.S. Capitol building.](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240518_MAP503.jpg)
On may 8th President Joe Biden confirmed that his administration would withhold shipments of certain kinds of bombs if Israel extends its invasion of Rafah, Hamas’s last main stronghold in Gaza, where over a million civilians have taken shelter.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “A familiar problem”
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