On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump told media that he would not rule out the possibility of military conflict with Venezuela, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), leading to a rise in U.S. crude oil prices.

"I don't rule that out, no," Trump said in a phone interview with a news outlet. He declined to specify whether ousting President Nicolás Maduro was his objective.

Trump added, "He [Maduro] knows exactly what I want, and he knows it better than anybody."

The oil market has not yet shown significant risks of supply disruption. U.S. crude rose by 44 cents, or 0.78%, to $56.59 per barrel, while the global benchmark Brent crude increased by 57 cents, or 0.95%, to $60.39 per barrel.

Earlier in the week, U.S. benchmark oil prices hit a four-year low as traders priced in the possibility of a peace deal in Ukraine, which could inject more Russian crude into an already oversupplied market.

Trump has been escalating pressure on Maduro. Last week, after seizing an oil tanker, he ordered a blockade on sanctioned vessels off the South American nation’s coast.

The U.S. has deployed a significant military presence in the Caribbean and conducted lethal strikes on vessels allegedly involved in drug trafficking to the U.S. The legality of these actions has been disputed and is under congressional scrutiny.

Venezuela, a founding OPEC member, holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves. According to Kpler, the country exported an average of about 749,000 barrels per day this year, with roughly 132,000 barrels per day shipped to the U.S.