Khamenei and Netanyahu are waging a war of symbols too

Time of India

5 hours ago

The gloves are off and the tweets are on in the
Israel-Iran conflict
that has entered its seventh day. Iran's supreme leader,
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
, and Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu
are leading the digital charge across social media with evocative symbols from their religious traditions to challenge each other.
Khamenei declared 'the battle begins' in a warning post on Tuesday, hours after US President Donald Trump called for Iran's 'unconditional surrender.'
'In the name of #Haider, the battle begins. Ali returns to #Khaybar with his Zulfiqar,' the 86-year-old Khamenei posted to his 1.5 million followers on X in Farsi, referring to
Shia Islam
's revered figure and the first imam, Ali, who won the Battle of Khaybar with his sword, Zulfiqar.
Khamenei's post framed Iran's attacks as part of a broader religious struggle against Israel.
On the other hand, Israel has called its military operation against Iran "Rising Lion", taking the name from a biblical verse that promises a victorious future for a powerful Israel, and also obliquely referring to the pre-Islamic Revolution Iran.
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In a post dedicated to the people of Iran, Netanyahu said, 'We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history,
Operation Rising Lion
. The Islamic regime, which has oppressed you for almost 50 years, threatens to destroy our country, the State of Israel."
Both Khamenei and Netanyahu have shared several posts on Twitter (now X), but what stands out is their deliberate use of religious references drawn from history.
Khamenei's Khaybar citation
Khamenei's declaration of battle on Twitter included a reference to Khaybar that was later used by multiple users in their posts as a hashtag.
Khaybar, in the north of Medina, was once home to thousands of Jews who were defeated in a decisive 7th-century battle against the army of Prophet Muhammad. The turning point in the battle came when the Prophet, after earlier attempts to break the stronghold, said, 'Tomorrow I will give the banner to a man who loves God and His Messenger, and God and His Messenger love him. He will conquer it.'
The next day, the Prophet gave the banner to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the first Shia Imam. Ali then led the assault on the fortress of Qamus, Khaybar's most fortified stronghold.
Ali defeated the Jewish commander Marhab using a door as a shield after losing his own. His leadership resulted in the fall of the fort, effectively ending resistance in Khaybar.
The victory marked a strategic and symbolic success for the early Muslim community. In Shia Islam, Ali's role at Khaybar is celebrated as a sign of his divine support.
Netanyahu's lion reference
Khamenei isn't the only one reaching back to religious history. Netanyahu also flipped through holy pages for symbolism, citing phrases – 'Rising Lion' and 'Cyrus the Great' in his posts.
In his message to the Iranian people, Netanyahu said that Israel's conflict was with Iran's Islamic regime, not its people, adding that 'the people of Iran and the people of Israel have been friends since the time of
Cyrus the Great
.'
Cyrus the Great, founder of the first Persian Empire, after conquering Babylon and other cities, allowed the exiled jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
Netanyahu also used the phrase 'Rising Lion,' drawn from the biblical line 'the people shall rise up as a lion,' in a note placed into a crack of Jerusalem's Western Wall — a gesture that, in hindsight, appeared to signal the impending strikes on Iran. The phrase comes from Numbers 23:24 in the Bible: 'Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.'
This verse is part of the first oracle of Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet and diviner, where he foretells the strength and power of Israel, comparing it to a lion that will not rest until it has satisfied its hunger.
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book in the Bible. In this part of the story, the diviner named Balaam, who was a kind of prophet or seer known for his ability to bless as well as curse, is being asked by Balak, a king of Moab, to curse the people of Israel, God's chosen people, because Balak sees them as a threat.
Instead of cursing them, Balaam ends up blessing them, because God tells him only to speak what He commands. This verse is part of one of those blessings, where Balaam describes the strength and power of Israel in poetic, symbolic language. The verse means that Israel will be strong, fearless, and ready for action, just like a lion rising to hunt.
Balaam gives more prophetic speeches, continuing to bless Israel instead of cursing it. He also predicts the downfall of Israel's enemies, including Moab (Balak's people), Edom and others. Most famously, he delivers a prophecy that is often seen as messianic by Jews and Christians: 'A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel…'
The phrase "Rising Lion' is also linked to the flag of Iran's pre-Islamic Revolution Shah regime. The flag of the Pahlavi dynasty of the Shah had an emblem of a sword-wielding lion and a sun, both drawn from pre-Islamic past of Iran.
The clash on Twitter between Netanyahu and Khamenei makes it plain: this isn't just a military conflict, but an ideological tug-of-war with no end in sight.