The statement follows a threat by US President Joe Biden that the US will halt weapons shipments to Israel if there is a major invasion of Rafah.
"We have enough means to enter Rafah and conquer it without US aid," journalist Amit Segal quoted the source as saying. "Rafah will be conquered regardless."
The source stressed that "the main problem is the message that this sends to Hezbollah and Iran - that Israel will come to the clash in the north seemingly without weapons. Biden has made a grave mistake - both ethically and politically."
Foreign Minister Israel Katz also responded to Biden's statement, writing, "Israel will continue to fight Hamas until [Hamas] is eradicated. There is no war more just than this."
In an interview with CNN, Biden explained "Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a consequence of those bombs and other ways in which they go after population centers."
"I made it clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven’t gone in Rafah yet – if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities – that deal with that problem."
He clarified: "We’re going to continue to make sure Israel is secure in terms of Iron Dome and their ability to respond to attacks that came out of the Middle East recently. But it’s, it’s just wrong. We’re not going to – we’re not going to supply the weapons and artillery shells."
Israel, Biden stressed, has not yet crossed the "red line" of entering heavily populated areas in Rafah, since the operations thus far have been "right on the border."
"I’ve made it clear to Bibi and the war cabinet: They’re not going to get our support, if in fact they go on these population centers."
