Why does Exodus 3 refer to “the angel of the LORD”?

Exodus 3:2 (ESV):

And the angel of the LORD (malʾak yhwh) appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.

It seems pretty clear from what follows that the individual in the bush is YHWH himself.¹

When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush….

Some have suggested that rather that “the angel of the LORD”, we ought to think of “the angel” as being in apposition to “YHWH” (i.e., the latter is a restatement of the former — “the angel that is YHWH”).

• Is “the angel of the LORD” indeed referring to YHWH himself?
• If so, what is the point of describing him initially as “the angel of the LORD”?

_{1. This seems clear to me anyway. Another question about the same verse is predicated on a different understanding, and the answers I looked through agree with the question.}