The United States is rapidly building up its military assets in the Middle East. More than 100 aircraft—including F-18 and F-35 fighter jets, drones, and surveillance planes—are in or near the region. The U.S. also has bolstered its air defenses to protect U.S. troops on nearby bases. The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, left the Caribbean (where it had anchored a pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro) and is expected to be within striking range as early as Sunday. Three destroyers and, most likely, two accompanying submarines with guided missiles on board will join it. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group also is nearby.