Retired General Blaine Holt Urges U.S. and Israel to Exercise Restraint on Iran as Regime Collapses Internally

Retired Air Force Brigadier General Blaine Holt warned Monday that the United States and Israel should exercise restraint against Iran, cautioning against rushing into military action as the regime shows signs of internal collapse.

Speaking on a recent appearance, Holt emphasized the critical alignment between former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating their in-person meeting had helped reconcile differing perspectives on a unified strategy. “The two leaders today had to get themselves aligned,” Holt said. “President Trump’s leadership is going to be essential here.”

Holt noted that the U.S. previously struck Iran’s nuclear sites in June and warned of stronger consequences if Tehran attempts to rebuild its military or nuclear capabilities. However, he expressed caution about immediate military retaliation, highlighting growing unrest within Iran as a key factor. “We’re seeing the people themselves start to take matters into their own hands — massive protests across the country, debilitating strikes,” Holt explained. “You should be very careful when your enemy is in the process of destroying themselves. Maybe hit pause here a little bit.”

The retired general cited widespread public opposition, labor strikes, and economic paralysis as clear indicators that Iran’s regime is undergoing internal collapse. “I would be a bit loathe to accept outright that there needs to be bombs dropping on Iran,” Holt added. He further noted that Trump’s meeting with Netanyahu had reinforced their strategic alignment.