The US vice president Kamala Harris has warned that Israel could face “consequences” if it launches a ground assault on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza.

Kamala Harris said this in an interview that aired on Sunday that it would be a “huge mistake” for the Israeli military to move on the city. The comments appear to underscore the continued strain in relations between Washington and Tel Aviv as the latter’s war in Gaza continues, reports Al Jazeera.

“We have been clear in multiple conversations and in every way that any major military operation in Rafah would be a huge mistake,” Harris told ABC’s This Week.

“I have studied the maps – there’s nowhere for those folks to go. And we’re looking at about a million and a half people in Rafah who are there because they were told to go there,” Harris added.

“I am ruling out nothing,” Harris said when she was asked whether there would be consequences from the US if the Israeli operation in the overcrowded city goes ahead.

She did not give details of what such consequences might entail. “We’re going to take it one step at a time, but we’ve been very clear in terms of our perspective on whether or not that should happen,” she said.

Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque