The U.S. military has used both missiles and drones in striking more than 2,000 targets in Iran through the first days of the war, while relying on sophisticated air defense systems to protect its Middle East bases and personnel from retaliatory strikes.

There are more than 50,000 U.S. military personnel in the Middle East and more troops are heading into the region. Prior to the war, the Pentagon moved the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group and its associated ships into the Middle East.