In a statement on his main X handle, Khamenei said, “In the name of Haidar, the battle begins.”
The Iranian leader followed that up with a post on his official English language account saying: “We must give a strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime…We will show the Zionists no mercy.”
Trump reportedly talked with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday evening, following a meeting with security officials, according to Axios.
Trump warned on Truth Social earlier Tuesday: “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” referring to Khamenei, who is increasingly isolated after Israel assassinated several of his top generals.
Trump said Khamenei is “safe” and “we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” adding “our patience is wearing thin.”
“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” Trump said in an earlier post, writing that “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.”
In a third post Tuesday morning, Trump called for an “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”