Reports: White House Knew Rafah Explosion Was From Israeli Bulldozer Hitting UXO, Not Hamas

Reports: White House Knew Rafah Explosion Was From Israeli Bulldozer Hitting UXO, Not Hamas

News October 19, 2025
Reports: White House Knew Rafah Explosion Was From Israeli Bulldozer Hitting UXO, Not Hamas
Washington (QNN)- The White House and Pentagon reportedly knew that the Rafah explosion was caused by a settler Israeli bulldozer running over unexploded ordnance (UXO), contradicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that Hamas fighters had emerged from tunnels. According to journalist Ryan Grim from Drop Site, US officials were briefed soon after the blast that the incident resulted from an Israeli settler-operated bulldozer triggering a UXO, not a Hamas operation. Despite this, Netanyahu publicly accused Hamas and announced that he would block all aid from entering Gaza in response. According to sources cited by Grim, after the US administration confronted Israel with its findings, Netanyahu reversed course, saying crossings would reopen within hours. The Pentagon reportedly came to the same conclusion as the White House. Journalist Curt Mills from The American Conservative quoted a senior US administration official confirming, “Hamas did nothing. An Israeli tank hit an unexploded IED that had probably been there for months.” The revelation adds tension to an already fragile situation in Gaza. Following the explosion, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across the Strip, killing at least 15 innocents, including a journalist, in an attempt to justify renewed escalation. Observers say Israel has been trying to provoke another round of fighting despite the ceasefire signed in Sharm el-Sheikh earlier this month. Recent attacks, including strikes on civilian areas have raised concerns that Israel aims to derail the truce and maintain its military pressure on Gaza.  

Also Read

Spain Urges EU to Suspend Association Agreement With Israel
News
Spain Urges EU to Suspend Association Agreement With Israel

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urged the EU to suspend its association agreement with Israel, citing violations of international law. The call follows a joint letter from Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia seeking a review, citing the death penalty law passed for Palestinians by the Knesset and amid the forced displacement of Lebanese.

Israel Kidnaps Over 23,000 Palestinians in West Bank and Jerusalem Since Gaza Genocide Began
News
Israel Kidnaps Over 23,000 Palestinians in West Bank and Jerusalem Since Gaza Genocide Began

Israeli forces have detained and kidnapped more than 23,000 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and eastern Jerusalem since the start of the Gaza genocide, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, which warns of escalating abuses, mass arrests of women and children, and thousands held under enforced disappearance.

WSJ: Trump’s Iran War Decisions and Social Media Posts Were Improvised; Was Eager to Ceasefire to Address Rising Fuel Prices
News
WSJ: Trump’s Iran War Decisions and Social Media Posts Were Improvised; Was Eager to Ceasefire to Address Rising Fuel Prices

US President Donald Trump has been making key decisions about the assault in Iran in a slapdash manner without input from his advisers, and was eager for a ceasefire to address rising fuel prices, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.