Good evening, everyone. I'm Eam al-Muhyidin in for Stephanie Ruhl, and this is the

nightcap. We're about to enter week four of the war with Iran, and the very latest reporting

points to a major offensive involving thousands more of U.S. troops moving into the region.

But here's something we can't afford to forget. 23 years ago today, President George W. Bush announced that American forces

had begun a military operation in Iraq. The former president vowed to destroy Iraqi weapons of

mass destruction through a, quote, broad and concerted

campaign.

But when airstrikes failed, U.S. troops found themselves part of a ground invasion and eventually

a brutal, nearly decade-long occupation.

Now, fast forward to today and our current war with Iran, just hours ago, Donald Trump said

he was considering winding down U.S. military operations, but he also fiercely rejected the

idea of a ceasefire. Watch this.

I don't want to do a ceasefire. You know, you don't do a ceasefire when you're literally

obliterating the other side.

Now, at the same time, an official with knowledge of the matter tells MS now, the administration

has doubled the number of U.S. ground troops deploying to the Middle East, sending an additional

2,500 Marines and three warships from San Diego.

Meanwhile, NBC News reports that the president is not weighing several options for

U.S. troops inside Iran. And earlier today, he told my colleague Stephanie ruled that the U.S.

military could leave right now, but if we stay longer, they'll never rebuild.

Stephanie has the night off, but she spoke to the president on the phone earlier today,

and she joins me now with more on their conversation. Stephanie, it's great to the president on the phone earlier today, and she joins me now with

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