Italy has rejected claims that it provided military assistance during the U.S. operation against Iran, saying it authorized only technical and logistical support.

Axar.az reports, citing Reuters, that the Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto made the remarks.

“As already clarified in parliament, the government authorised exclusively technical and logistical, non-kinetic activities,” Crosetto said, adding that Italy had refused requests that went beyond those limits.

Crosetto said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s remarks created a misleading impression by confusing authorized support flights with combat-related operations.

It was previously reported that Rutte said 500 U.S. aircraft had taken off from American bases in Italy to support “Operation Epic Fury,” Washington’s name for the military operation against Iran.