Washington — Three U.S. Navy destroyers transiting the Strait of Hormuz came under attack on Thursday, enduring what American officials described as a fiercer and more sustained Iranian assault than the barrage that two of the warships faced only days earlier.

The destroyers USS Truxtun, USS Mason and USS Rafael Peralta were attacked by missiles, drones and small boats, U.S. Central Command confirmed in a statement. The U.S. military responded by targeting Iranian facilities, including drone and missile launch sites in what Central Command described as "self-defense strikes."

The destroyers came under an intense Iranian assault as swarms of Iranian fast-attack boats maneuvered close enough that American warships opened fire to keep them at bay, U.S. officials told CBS News under condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. 

Over several hours, the American warships and supporting aircraft mounted a layered defense, firing their five-inch naval guns and their close-in weapon systems known as CIWS, officials said. Small-caliber gun teams on deck also engaged the attacking boats. American Apache helicopters fired Hellfire missiles and .50-caliber machine guns as additional aircraft provided support overhead. 

Iranian forces also launched drones and missiles during the confrontation, the officials said. As of publication, no casualties or damage to the ships was reported.

On Monday, CBS News first reported that the USS Truxtun and USS Mason transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf after navigating an Iranian barrage. During that engagement, Iran also launched small boats, missiles and drones against them in what officials described as a sustained barrage.

Despite the intensity of the attacks, neither U.S. vessel was struck.

The incidents at sea mark some of the most direct known exchanges between the U.S. and Iran since the two countries entered into a ceasefire more than a month ago, buying them time to negotiate a longer-term peace deal. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters earlier this week the ceasefire is still in place, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S.'s initial operation against Iran — Operation Epic Fury — is over.

Despite the ceasefire, the U.S. and Iran are vying for control over the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway between Iran and Oman that normally carries one-fifth of the world's oil.