The United States is rapidly assembling a significant military buildup of air and naval assets near Iran as U.S. President Donald Trump weighs options for military action against the country. The USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently transiting the Atlantic Ocean toward the Middle East, where it will join dozens of fighter jets and at least six E-3 Sentry command-and-control aircraft that have recently relocated to U.S. bases in the area — marking the largest accumulation of U.S. air power in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion. Alongside the show of force, the United States and Israel have also been taking a number of steps to prepare for potential retaliation from Iran and/or its proxies. On Feb. 11, the U.S. State Department issued an "Ordered Departure" for non-emergency personnel and their families at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, citing the immediate risk of regional retaliation.