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Blaine Holt to Newsmax: Killing Iran Leaders Sends 'Shockwave' Through IRGC

By Charlie McCarthy | Tuesday, 17 March 2026 09:58 AM EDT

The killing of Iranian leaders by U.S. and Israeli military forces sent "a shockwave" through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt told Newsmax on Tuesday.

Appearing on Newsmax's "National Report," Holt said the targeted strikes against senior Iranian officials, including key regime enforcers such as security official Ali Larijani, are weakening Tehran's grip on power and could accelerate internal collapse.

"What these strikes really represent are the aiding and abetting of a burgeoning revolution," Holt said. "When you hit leaders like this, you're sending a shockwave through the IRGC ... and making them rethink their position."

The latest wave of strikes has eliminated top figures tied to Iran's military and internal security apparatus, including leaders connected to the Basij militia, which is widely known for brutally suppressing protests.

Analysts say the targeted killings are part of a broader U.S.-Israeli strategy to dismantle Iran's leadership structure piece by piece.

Retired Army Lt. Col. Darin Gaub described the impact as "absolutely huge," noting that removing high-level figures creates chaos at the top and fear among those left behind.

"The whole idea of 'next man up' — nobody really wants to be that next man," Gaub said. "They keep getting disappeared."

Gaub added that the campaign mirrors earlier successes against terrorist organizations like ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah, where leadership decapitation weakened operational capabilities and morale.

Holt emphasized that beyond eliminating leadership, the strikes are undermining the regime's ability to function day to day. He pointed to growing financial strain within the IRGC, including difficulty paying personnel, as a sign the system is beginning to crack.

"You'll start to see it weaken ... and then it's just going to break," Holt said, predicting that ordinary Iranians may soon seize the moment to challenge the regime.

The developments come as Iran faces mounting internal unrest and external pressure. Recent reports indicate continued missile and drone attacks by Iran and its proxies even as its leadership ranks are thinned.

Still, Gaub warned that the regime's decentralized terror network, including sleeper cells, remains a threat, particularly in the United States and allied countries.

"These groups don't necessarily need centralized command," he said. "They just need the intent to act."

Both analysts said that now is not the time for the United States to pull back.

Holt cautioned that abandoning the effort could allow the regime to regroup and exact revenge in the future.

"We kicked over the beehive," Holt said. "You've got to see it through."

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