A retired U.S. general has expressed skepticism regarding the ability of Israel and the U.S. to entirely overthrow Iran’s regime.

According to an article in the Israel Hayom newspaper, former Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz shared his insights amidst ongoing military operations against Iran, known as Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, which have now entered their third week.

“Based on my professional analysis, I doubt that either Israel or the U.S. can fully dismantle the Iranian regime. The core reason is the existence of numerous, possibly hundreds, of Iranian clerics ready to step in should the Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah, be removed,” Schwartz explained to Israel Hayom.

He further elaborated, “Even if successors are systematically eliminated, another will always take their place. Iran’s intelligence services, Revolutionary Guards, and military have the resilience and resources to rebuild leadership even if the current hierarchy is dismantled,” he reportedly stated.

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Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz, seen on the left, and Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, pictured on the right. (U.S. State Department; Rouhollah Vahdati/ISNA/WANA via Reuters)

Schwartz is a career Green Beret who served in the U.S. Army for 33 years, according to The National Special Forces Green Beret Memorial, where he is the chairman of the advisory board.  

The organization said, “During his career, Mark served throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa,” and, “He has had the opportunity to lead strategic planning and operations working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States Agency for International Development.” 

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Recent footage shared by U.S. Central Command showed strikes against airplanes during the Iran war. (U.S. Central Command on X)

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had warned Wednesday that if the Iranian regime survives Operation Epic Fury, “it will likely seek to begin a yearslong effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces.”   

Gabbard also said the intelligence community “assesses that Operation Epic Fury is advancing fundamental change in the region that began with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, and continued with the 12-day war last year, resulting in weakening Iran and its proxies.”   

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed at the beginning of Operation Epic Fury on Feb. 28, 2026. ( Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran via Getty Images)

The campaign so far has resulted in the killing of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been replaced by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.