Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday rejected US calls for surrender in the face of more Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause 'irreparable damage to them." The second public appearance by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since the Israeli strikes began six days ago came as Israel lifted some restrictions on daily life, suggesting that the missile threat from Iran was easing.

Khamenei spoke a day after US President Donald Trump demanded in a social media post that Iran surrender without conditions and warned Khamenei that the US knows where he is but has no plans to kill him, 'at least not for now.' Trump initially distanced himself from Israel's surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days he has hinted at greater American involvement, saying he wants something 'much bigger' than a ceasefire. The U.S. has also sent more military aircraft and warships to the region.

In a video address to Israelis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed appreciation for Trump's support in the conflict, calling him 'a great friend of Israel' and praising U.S. help defending Israel's skies. 'We speak constantly, including last night,' he said Wednesday. 'We had a very warm conversation.' The Iranian nation is not one to surrender Khamenei dismissed the 'threatening and absurd statements' by Trump.