democrats seats. also tonight in a new report in the u.s. withdrawal from afghanistan the white house largely blaming the chaos and decisions by former president trump on the actions it says the u.s. should have taken even sooner. the rising tensions in the middle east. israel striking back tonight after the biggest barrage of missiles from lebanon in more than 16 years. tracking severe storms on the move tonight in the midatlantic on the heels of that deadly tornado outbreak. nbc news investigates after our report on toxic air concerns near a louisiana school. what the epa is now doing about it. and it was 20 years ago we lost a member of our nbc news family covering the war in iraq. tonight my conversation with david bloom s widow about the lives his story may have saved. announcer: this is nbc nightly news with lester holt. good evening and welcome. the tears of grief that consume nashville, tennessee, just ten days ago over the murders of young children and