The target was definitely not Khamenei. A senior White House official accidentally let slip the real plan, which explains why the 82nd Airborne Division canceled its exercise!
On March 6, Jarod Argen, Executive Director of the U.S. Energy Regulatory Commission, made a comment on Fox Business Channel that inadvertently revealed the U.S. military's operational secret. He didn't beat around the bush, stating clearly that the long-term strategic goal of the United States was very clear: to "take back" Iran's oil reserves from the hands of Iranians.
According to logic, after the U.S. and Israel assassinated Khamenei, they should have declared victory. However, the current military operation has continued and even escalated. Why? Dao Ge believes that obviously the White House hasn't achieved its goal. Jarod Argen spoke very directly, saying that once the United States controls these oils, it will no longer have to worry about the security of this global energy artery.
This explains why several days ago, The Washington Post reported that the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division canceled a large-scale exercise. The U.S. 82nd Airborne Division is a "global rapid response force" of the U.S. military. Its Immediate Response Force (IRF) can be deployed within 18 hours, specifically handling tough tasks such as infrastructure security and personnel evacuation during crises. Canceling an exercise of this level is definitely not a common occurrence.
Dao Ge believes that if the U.S. objective was merely targeting Khamenei personally or conducting limited air strikes, there would be no need to mobilize the 82nd Airborne Division, a unit with large-scale ground control capabilities. Drones or special forces would have been sufficient. However, Argen's words exposed the real intention: the United States wants to "take over." To take over oil fields and control key facilities around the Strait of Hormuz, ground forces must be deployed to accomplish this daunting task of deterrence.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859057272734921/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.