Washington DC [US], March 19 : President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he does not intend to deploy American troops in the Middle East amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, while emphasising the strength of the US military and the broader objectives of current operations.
Responding to a question from a reporter on potential troop deployment, Trump said, "No, I'm not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you."
He made his remarks during a question-and-answer session with reporters alongside visiting Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House.
The US President also linked the ongoing developments to broader strategic considerations, stating that the military actions are aimed at ensuring long-term global security.
"We're doing this excursion, and when it's completed, we're going to have a much safer world," he said, describing Iran as a significant threat to global and regional stability.
"Iran is a serious threat to the world, to the Middle East and to everybody, and everybody agrees with me. I think virtually every country agrees with me on that," Trump added.
Highlighting US military capabilities, Trump said the country possesses the "strongest military in the world" with advanced equipment, citing a recent instance where 114 rockets were intercepted using US systems.
"We have the strongest military in the world. We have the best equipment. We make by far the best equipment. The other night, they had 114 rockets shot at a certain location. Out of 114 sophisticated rockets, every single one of them was shot down with our equipment, all our equipment. It's amazing, actually, how good it is. We want to be sure, and it's a small price to pay to make sure that we stay tip-top," the US President added.
The present conflict in Middle East began on February 28 with the killing of 86-year-old Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply.
Following the death of Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the former leader, was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic.