The newly arrived Deployable Joint Task Force Headquarters for NATO’s Joint Command Lisbon on Thursday was coordinating with Pakistani officials the forces’ deployment options. The NATO forces will total more than 1,000 troops and engineers, according to an alliance statement and will be deployed to the country’s earthquake-affected areas. The alliance is already operating air bridges from Europe and Turkey that are transporting supplies to the region from Ramstein AB, Germany, and Incirlik AB, Turkey.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
