President Donald Trump has made clear there are two very different directions the war in Iran could take in the coming weeks: a negotiated end or an attempt to escalate the war to win it, which comes with risks.

The president announced on Thursday that the United States would extend the negotiating window to prevent a major escalation, which he had already extended. He initially gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz last Saturday, then pushed the deadline back on Monday before it expired by five days; Thursday’s announcement preempted the expiration of Monday’s deadline.