Retired general says US policy should stick to guns against Iran and Hezbollah
Retired General Charles Wald reflects on the intricate dynamics in the Middle East, particularly regarding Iran, Israel, and Hezbollah. Wald believes that Hezbollah serves as a proxy for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. He insists that the United States should assist Israel in its defense efforts and commended the current administration’s firm policies, asserting that it’s crucial to maintain this approach in the region.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported on Tuesday the elimination of a Hamas operative involved in the abduction of Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg Pollin, who was ultimately killed in Gaza. The IDF stated that Youssef Aish Awad Ramadan, the deputy commander of the Hamas Nouhba terrorist faction, was killed in central Gaza. This group, known for its elite special operations, is part of the Al-Qassam Brigades, which is Hamas’s military wing.
IDF officials shared that Ramadan was part of the October 7 attacks and took part in the kidnapping of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, among others, from a shelter during the assaults. The IDF emphasized that throughout the ongoing conflict, Ramadan had been plotting further attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, presenting an imminent threat to IDF units in Gaza.
Goldberg-Polin, who endured nearly 11 months in underground tunnels after being captured, was tragically killed along with other hostages in August 2024. At the time of his death, he was just 23. An IDF spokesperson noted, “Our initial assessment suggests they met a brutal end at the hands of Hamas shortly before we arrived.”
He was taken hostage during a music festival in Israel’s south on October 7 amid Hamas’s onslaught and sustained severe injuries, losing part of his arm during the initial attacks.
In another story, Elijah Cohen survived an astonishing 505 days in captivity, facing extreme deprivation, being chained in tunnels, and undergoing surgery without anesthesia for a gunshot wound. He was released in February 2025 following negotiations. Levi, another hostage, endured 491 days of harsh treatment before learning of his wife’s death in the attack. He has since reunited with his young child.
Alon Ohel spent over two years in Gaza before his release in October last year. Meanwhile, the Pentagon recently conducted its first military discussions between Israel and Lebanon, aimed at curbing Hezbollah’s activities.
Hersh Goldberg Pollin’s family faced the unbearable tragedy of losing their son, a gifted pianist who endured intense suffering and injuries before finally being released in October 2025, thanks to U.S. mediation. He is now recuperating and performing alongside Israeli artists.
