The U.S. military is taking new steps to protect its troops in the Middle East as concerns mount about attacks by Iran-backed groups. These steps include increasing U.S. military patrols, restricting access to base facilities, and hiking intelligence collection. U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria have been repeatedly targeted since the Israel-Gaza conflict began on Oct. 7, causing minor injuries to four U.S. service members and five U.S. military contractors. The U.S. military is also considering evacuating military families if needed.