INTERNATIONAL: Some forty U.S. service members have arrived in Latvia from Italy early on Thursday , the first group of what is expected to be a deployment of more than 300 troops, the Latvian Defence Ministry has said.

The troops, were based at Adazi military base just outside the Latvian capital Riga.

U.S. President Joe Biden's Tuesday announcement of a redistribution of troops in Europe includes sending 800 infantry soldiers to the Baltic region and up to eight F-35 fighter jets to several operating locations along NATO's eastern flank, a U.S. official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

^{PHOTO: U.S. AIR FORCE PLANE ON TARMAC, U.S. SOLDIERS DISEMBARKING}