US President Donald Trump is facing a critical decision between taking “a diplomatic off ramp” or “a war of choice,” Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told CNN.

“Leaders always have a choice in these moments,” she said. “Trump has, in the past, stepped back from the brink of war with Iran, he has the ability to do so again.”

Geranmayeh added that “Iran will view this as a declaration of war,” if Trump decides to strike its nuclear facilities.

“Once you open up this Pandora’s box, we have no idea where things go,” Geranmayeh said, adding that the conflict would “most likely consume the rest of President Trump’s presidency.”

For Iran, she added, “surrender is not an option.”

“It also knows it is not going to win militarily, but it’s trying to ensure that there are only losers here,” Geranmayeh said.

MSH

At least 34 people, including two babies were killed when a contraband fuel depot exploded into flames in southern Benin near the border with Nigeria on Saturday.

According to Beninese Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, “a serious fire occurred in the town of Seme Podji. Another 20 people were seriously wounded in the incident.”

"I can't really give you the cause of the fire, but there is a large gasoline warehouse here and cars, tricycles and motorcycles come from morning to evening,” he added.

Nigeria is a main oil and gas producer where fuel smuggling is very common along its borders, particularly when the government maintains a subsidy to keep fuel prices low.

The majority of the victims were burnt and they could not be not be identified.

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