WASHINGTON/TEHRAN – The US military said Tuesday it intercepted multiple ballistic missiles launched from Iran in what it described as an attempted "surprise attack" on American forces in the Middle East.

"At 5:45 pm ET today, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces launched multiple ballistic missiles from Iran in an attempted surprise attack on US forces based in the Middle East," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote on X.

"All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted," it said, adding "US forces remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness."

Iran launched no more than four ballistic missiles, CNN reported, citing a US official.

There was no immediate comment from Tehran on the US claims.

ALSO READ: Trump threatens ‘strong military action’ if Iran talks fail

Earlier Tuesday, the CENTCOM said the US military had redirected 18 commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, disabled two and boarded two others to enforce what it described as a naval blockade on all Iranian ports.

CENTCOM also said in a separate post that more than 20 US Navy warships are operating across the Middle East in support of military missions.

US President Donald Trump said Monday he had decided to pause US strikes on Iran to give negotiations another chance, while warning that he could order further strikes if talks fail.

Iran insists Hormuz Strait must never return to pre-war state

Also on Tuesday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi said Tehran will not allow the Strait of Hormuz to return to its pre-war status, warning that any European warship seeking to approach the strategic waterway would be considered a "legitimate target."

The senior diplomat told state-run IRIB TV that if the strait's situation returns to what it was before the war, "our success in the war will not be complete."

Gharibabadi added that to establish its sovereignty over the strait, Iran does not fear a resumption of the war.

Describing the strait as a "new defense capacity" now becoming part of Iran's national security, he said that Tehran's future management arrangements will have long-term impacts on the country's security.

Gharibabadi also revealed that Oman had sought to bring in a third country for mine clearance operations through the strait's southern section, but Iran rejected that.

Turning to US relations, the official said that Iran had made no request for negotiations with the United States within the past 15 days.

"The Americans asked us to hold talks, and sent us a message through Oman that they will not take military actions against us," Gharibabadi said.

ALSO READ: Iran says it halted retaliatory attacks after US stopped strikes

On bilateral discussions with Oman, Gharibabadi said Tehran is negotiating solely with Muscat on issues pertaining to the strait.

He noted that Oman had proposed a joint route with 50-50 control, but Iran said that the proposal cannot remove its concerns, arguing that allowing the southern route to remain open would undermine its sovereignty over the strait.

Iran warns ships against accepting compensation from its frozen assets

Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said that vessels belonging to any country or company accepting compensation from Iran's frozen assets would not be allowed to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to broadcaster IRIB.

A spokesman for the headquarters rejected Trump's statement that ships damaged by Iran in the Gulf would be compensated using Iran's frozen funds.

ALSO READ: Iran blasts US asset threat as 'incendiary precedent'

He said Iran believes the vessels were damaged because of insecurity created by the US military and their use of what he described as an illegal and unsafe shipping route south of the Strait of Hormuz.

The spokesman said Iran's armed forces would bar the vessels of any country or company accepting such compensation from transiting the strait.

White House says Trump-Netanyahu talks ‘productive’

In Washington, Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday in their first in-person talks since the United States and Israel launched joint military operations against Iran on Feb 28, with the White House describing the meeting as "positive and productive".

The closed-door meeting lasted nearly 90 minutes and focused primarily on Iran and its nuclear program, according to statements released by the two governments after the talks.

"Both meetings were positive and productive!" White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on social media, also referring to Trump's closed-door meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in the day.

Trump and Netanyahu reaffirmed their "ironclad commitment to ensuring that Iran never has nuclear weapons" during their talks, according to a statement issued by Netanyahu's office.

Neither the White House nor Netanyahu's office immediately released additional details.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump dismissed reports that Netanyahu would present new intelligence on Iran's suspected nuclear activity at Pickaxe Mountain, saying he was already fully aware of developments there.

Iran, Ukraine pledge to avoid escalation

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, has assured him that Ukraine's Saturday attack on an Iranian commercial ship was "unintentional" and that Ukraine "does not seek escalation."

In a post on social media platform X following a phone call earlier in the day with Sybiha, Araghchi said that "Iran does not seek escalation either, but made clear any attack on our citizens or interests is unacceptable. There must be restitution for losses."

READ MORE: Iran warns to stop oil exports from region if US attacks infrastructure

In a post on X earlier in the day, Sybiha confirmed the call, calling it "a frank conversation." He noted that, "Diplomacy is about direct conversation, even when it's difficult" and stressed that "our goal is to avoid unnecessary escalation."

Sybiha said he had reiterated that all of Ukraine's actions were "aimed solely at defending our country" and "never intended to target civilian vessels or people."

He also emphasized "the necessity to refrain from any escalatory steps."