U.S. Sailors inspect the flight deck before flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Aug. 26, 2014, in the Persian Gulf as the ship supports operations in Iraq. President Barack Obama authorized humanitarian aid deliveries to Iraq as well as targeted airstrikes to protect U.S. personnel from extremists known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. U.S. Central Command directed the operations.