Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stark message on social media Tuesday night, signaling a possible escalation in the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Axar.az reports that in a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khamenei declared: “The battle begins”, accompanying the statement with a fiery image of an ancient city under bombardment.

Writing in Farsi, he invoked Imam Ali and the Battle of Khaybar, stating: “In the name of Haider, the battle begins.” On his English-language account, Khamenei intensified the rhetoric, calling for a “strong response to the terrorist Zionist regime” and vowing: “We will show the Zionists no mercy.”

The statements mark one of the most direct and combative public messages from Iran’s top leader since the conflict reignited.

به نام نامی #حیدر، نبرد آغاز می‌گردد
علی با ذوالفقار خود، به #خیبر باز می‌گردد#الله_اکبر pic.twitter.com/yGYrXUDGoK

— KHAMENEI.IR | فارسی (@Khamenei_fa) June 17, 2025