‘The Battle Begins’: Khamenei Responds to Trump’s Threats

In his first social media post since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran with unconditional surrender, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stark warning to Israel on X, declaring, “The battle begins.”

“The post reads, ‘Ali returns to Khaybar,’ according to a translation by Iran International. The statement refers to the first imam of Shia Islam and his historic 7th-century conquest of the Jewish stronghold of Khaybar, The Times of Israel reported. The original message was posted in Farsi.”

The post features an image of a man wielding a sword as he enters a fortress-like gate, with fiery streaks blazing across the sky above.

Just minutes later, Khamenei issued another warning to Israel, stating, “We must deliver a forceful response to the terrorist Zionist regime. The Zionists will be shown no mercy.”

Israel-Iran Conflict Enters Day Six

The conflict between Israel and Iran entered its sixth day on Wednesday, with both sides launching fresh missile strikes despite U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Iran’s unconditional surrender. According to the Israeli military, Iran fired two waves of missiles toward Israel in the early hours of the morning, with explosions reported over Tel Aviv.

Meanwhile, after an early departure from the G7 Summit, President Trump held a 90-minute meeting with his National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon to address the escalating conflict, according to a White House official. He also reportedly spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as per Axios.

Trump Calls for Iran’s Unconditional Surrender

On Tuesday, President Trump claimed that the United States now has full control over Iranian airspace, asserting that Iran’s defence systems, including advanced tracking technology, are no match for American military superiority. He praised U.S. defence capabilities in a post on Truth Social.

In a post on X, 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 cautioned that U.S. patience was running out. While stating there were no plans "for now" to target Iran’s leader, his remarks signalled a shift toward a more aggressive posture as he considers expanding American involvement in the conflict.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote on X, referring to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “We’re not going to take him out, at least not for now. But our patience is wearing thin.”

Three minutes later, Trump followed up with a one-line post: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

The U.S. is sending additional fighter jets to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, according to Reuters. Trump is reportedly weighing all available options to dismantle Iran’s underground nuclear weapons program.

Also Read: When History Explodes: Israel-Iran Tensions from 1953 to 2025 Warfare