It's Wednesday the 15th of April 2. Welcome to the P.D.B. Afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed.

First up, despite claims from the White House that the war is nearing its end, the U.S. is now sending thousands more troops to the Middle East.

I'll explain what it signals about where this conflict may be headed.

Later in the show, North Korea's nuclear program is accelerating, oh good, with new evidence of uranium enrichment that could make its growing arsenal even harder to track.

But first, today's afternoon spotlight.

Despite President Trump saying the war with Iran is, quote, very close to over, the U.S. military footprint in the region is actually expanding, signaling Washington

is preparing for what comes next, whatever that may be, not necessarily for winding things down.

According to new reporting, the Pentagon is sending thousands of additional troops into the

Middle East in the coming days, adding to an already massive American presence tied to the conflict with Tehran.

At the center of that build-up is aircraft carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, carrying roughly 6,000

sailors, and expected to arrive in the region soon, along with its accompanying strike group.

At the same time, another 4,000-plus personnel with the Boxer Amphibious

Ready Group, including the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are also heading toward the Middle East,

bringing helicopters, landing craft, and combat-ready Marines train to board vessels and strike

targets near the coast or even put boots on the ground with very little warning. When those forces arrived,

the U.S. could have as many as three carrier strike groups operating in or near the region,

alongside tens of thousands of troops already in place. In total, the Pentagon says roughly 50,000

U.S. personnel are now involved in operations tied to Iran. So the obvious question, if the war is

supposedly winding down or nearing its end, why is the U.S. surging forces? Well, the answer could be,

possibly pressure. The Trump administration is trying to force Iran back to the negotiating table

under terms that are favorable to Washington,

particularly when it comes to Tehran's nuclear program and its control over the strait.

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