US President Joe Biden has said that Israel has a duty and a right to respond to Hamas' "terrorism" as fighting continues near Gaza.
In his remarks, Mr Biden said that the US will "stand with Israel" and provide whatever assistance it needs.
Mr Biden said that at least 14 Americans had been killed in the fighting, with others taken as hostages.
He added there was no justification for the "rampages" by Hamas.
The identities of US citizens killed or missing have not yet been announced by officials.
In a 10-minute speech at the White House, Mr Biden condemned what he termed "an act of sheer evil" from Hamas, comparing the attacks to "the worst rampages" of the so-called Islamic State.
"Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right to respond, and indeed has a duty to respond, to these vicious attacks," Mr. Biden said, adding that the US response in a similar situation would be "swift, decisive and overwhelming".
Standing alongside Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Mr. Biden also said the US was sharing intelligence with Israel and had deployed experts to "consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts".
"As president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans being held hostage around the world," he added.
The death toll in Israel stands at 1,200 after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack from Gaza on Saturday. More than 900 people have been killed by retaliatory Israeli air strikes on Gaza since then.
At a separate news conference on Tuesday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that "20 or more" Americans are missing, although US officials are unsure of how many have been taken captive.
Mr Sullivan added that Mr Blinken - who has been focused on
securing the release of hostages in Gaza - will travel to Israel "in the
coming days" to meet with Israeli officials.
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Earlier this week, the US announced plans to move naval forces - including an aircraft carrier - to the eastern Mediterranean. US Air Force squadrons based in the region are also being bolstered with additional combat aircraft.
US defence officials have
said they are working with their Israeli counterparts to expedite shipments of
military supplies and ammunition to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). Mr Biden
said that he would ask Congress to take "urgent action" to fund the
requirements of US allies.
And on Tuesday night the White House said Mr Biden and Ms Harris spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where they pledged to supply fresh ammunition for Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system.
"Let there be no doubt
- the United States has Israel's back," Mr Biden said in his remarks.
"We'll make sure the Jewish and democratic state of Israel can defend
itself today, tomorrow, as we always have".
While the FBI has said it
has no "specific intelligence" regarding threats in the US stemming
from the conflict, Mr Biden said that police across the country have stepped up
security around Jewish sites "to identify and disrupt any domestic threat
that could emerge in connection with these horrific attacks".
"There is no place for
hate in America. Not against Jews, not against Muslims, not against anybody,"
he said.
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