US State Department warns Israel that Rafah operation risks ‚disaster‘

The United States warns Israel that staging a military push into the southern Gaza city of Rafah without proper planning would run the risk of becoming a „disaster.“ State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel says Washington has „yet to see any evidence of serious planning for such an operation,“ adding: „To conduct such an operation right now with no planning and little thought in an area“ where one million people are sheltering „would be a disaster.“ SOUNDBITE