Top US official says not 'right' for Israel to occupy Gaza long-term

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Friday it is not appropriate for Israel to occupy Gaza in the long-term, as speculation mounts over the post-war future of the territory.

"We do not believe that it makes sense for Israel, or is right for Israel, to occupy Gaza, reoccupy Gaza over the long term," Sullivan told journalists in Tel Aviv.

Sullivan added that Yemen's Houthi rebels are a "threat to freedom of navigation to commercial shipping", after the Iran-backed group claimed a series of attacks.

"The United States is working with the international community, with partners from the region and from all over the world to deal with this threat," he told journalists.

"While the Houthis are pulling the trigger, so to speak, they're being handed the gun by Iran," he added.