The battle begins: Khamenei responds to Trump’s threats amid possible US attack

In his first social media post since US President Donald Trump’s threats of unconditional surrender, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a warning to Israel on X, saying, “The battle begins.”

“Ali returns to Khaybar,” the post says, according to a translation by the Iran International news outlet. The statement is a reference to the first imam of Shia Islam and his conquest of the Jewish town of Khaybar in the 7th century, reported The Times of Israel. The post was originally shared in Farsi.

The post includes an image of a man holding a sword entering a castle-like gate, with fiery streaks in the sky overhead.

Minutes later, Khamenei posted another warning to Israel: “We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime. We will show the Zionists no mercy.”

CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND IRAN ENTERS SIXTH DAY

The conflict between Israel and Iran entered its sixth day as the two nations traded new missile strikes at each other on Wednesday despite a call from US President Donald Trump for Iran’s unconditional surrender. The Israeli military said two barrages of Iranian missiles were launched toward Israel in the first two hours of Wednesday morning. Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, after leaving the G7 Summit early, Trump met for 90 minutes with his National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the conflict, a White House official said. He reportedly spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Axios reported.

TRUMP DEMANDS UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER

Trump on Tuesday declared that the United States has full control of Iranian airspace, stating that Iran’s defence systems, including advanced tracking equipment, are no match for American-made military technology. He hailed the superiority of US defence capabilities in a post on Truth Social.

On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn’t compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured ‘stuff.’ Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA.”

He also warned that US patience was wearing thin. While he said there was no intention to kill Iran’s leader “for now,” his comments suggested a more aggressive stance towards Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he wrote on Truth Social, referring to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now … Our patience is wearing thin.”

Three minutes later Trump posted, “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

The US is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, according to news agency Reuters. Trump is reportedly considering all potential options available for dismantling Iran’s underground nuclear bombs.