With the ISIL military invasion of Iraq intensifying, Carrier Strike Group Two entered the Persian Gulf on 14 June 2014. Joining the carrier "George HW Bush", the cruiser "Philippine Sea", and the destroyer "Truxtun" were the destroyers "Arleigh Burke" and which had been operating in the Persian Gulf. CVW-8 aircraft began flying combat air patrols over Iraq on 19 June 2014.