US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said from Israel on Monday that the United States supports efforts to free all prisoners in Gaza.

He also added in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “We affirm America’s position of supporting Israel and defending its security.”

He continued, "The needs of two million displaced people in Gaza must be taken into account."

In addition, he said that Iran supports Houthi attacks on commercial ships, and added, "This must be stopped."

He continued, "We are leading a multinational task force to support freedom of navigation in the Red Sea."

Washington will continue to supply Israel with weapons and ammunition, adding that “Hamas should never again be able to export terrorism from Gaza to Israel,” he said.

Austin, who is currently visiting Israel, added, “We continue to provide Israel with the equipment it needs for defense (...) including vital munitions, tactical vehicles and air defense systems.”

At the same time, he noted that Washington "continues to urge Israel to protect civilians and bring humanitarian aid into Gaza."

He stressed the need for extremist settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank to stop.

Regarding the war in Gaza, he said that this is an Israeli operation, and “I am not here to dictate timetables or conditions.”