“I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you. But I’m not putting troops. We will do whatever is necessary,” Trump said on Thursday in response to a reporter who asked whether he planned to send more service members to the region.

Trump spoke at the White House during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Gkingmusik gathered that reports emerged on Wednesday suggesting the Trump administration was considering deploying thousands of American troops to reinforce the Iran operation, citing officials and people familiar with the matter.

Thirteen American troops have been killed since Iran launched strikes against US military bases following the start of the conflict on February 28.

Trump’s statement contradicts earlier reports about potential troop deployments, though he left room for flexibility by stating he would not reveal military plans publicly even if they existed.

The Iran conflict has now entered its fourth week, with casualties mounting on both sides. Israel has killed several top Iranian officials in recent days, including Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib on Wednesday and top security official Ali Larijani on Tuesday.

In response to what the Islamic regime of Iran terms “aggression,” it has effectively halted oil passage through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a global energy crisis. Trump has called on countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to send warships to help secure the strategic waterway.

The denial of troop deployment plans comes amid mounting international pressure for a diplomatic solution to end the escalating Middle East crisis.