183: Chapter 180: Armored Journey

7:00 AM.

An Iranian armored brigade advanced north, reaching the edge of the Rumaila oil field north of Basra.

The Rumaila oil field is one of Iraq's largest. It produces a million barrels of oil daily and is the main source of Iraq's foreign exchange.

The oil field was guarded by Iraqi troops, but only a few hundred of them.

The Iranian armored brigade broke through the oil field's defenses with almost no resistance.

Most of the Iraqi defenders surrendered; a few fled.

The oil field was under Iranian control.

But Reza knew this was only the beginning.

He ordered it to be demolished.

7:30 AM.

Iranian combat engineers began demolishing the key facilities of the Rumaila oil field.

Oil wells, Pump Stations, pipelines, storage tanks, and control systems.

Explosions echoed one after another.

By 9:00 AM, the Rumaila oil field was essentially destroyed.

Iraq had lost half of its oil production capacity.

9:00 AM. Baghdad, Saddam Hussein's office.

Hassan Rajab rushed into the office.

"Your Excellency Saddam Hussein!" he said.

Saddam Hussein woke from his sleep.

"What is it?"

"Iran—Iran—"

"What happened to Iran?"

"Iran did not attack Basra."

"What?"

"Iran attacked the staging area north of Basra," Hassan Rajab said. "Our 80,000 troops were not there—we had moved them away. There were only 15,000 defenders at the staging area. They have all been wiped out. The staging area is lost."

Saddam Hussein stood up.

"What?"

"Furthermore," Hassan Rajab's voice trembled, "Iran has occupied the Rumaila oil field. They have destroyed most of the facilities."

"Rumaila?"

"Yes."

Saddam Hussein's face turned pale.

Rumaila is Iraq's largest oil field. Losing Rumaila means losing half of the oil revenue.

And the loss of the staging area meant his planned offensive—the one he intended to use to retake lost territory—had failed completely.

Not just failed. Before he could even launch it, his offensive force had been completely wiped out.

"That's impossible," he said. "That's impossible."

"It is true," Hassan Rajab said.

Saddam Hussein suddenly understood.

"The Eagle," he said.

"What?"

"The Eagle," Saddam Hussein said. "The Eagle has once again given us false intelligence. Iran used the Eagle to make us move our troops, then they attacked where we were empty."

Hassan Rajab was silent.

"Find Mirza," Saddam Hussein said. "I want to speak with him immediately."

Hassan Rajab thought for a moment.

"Your Excellency Saddam Hussein," he said, "we haven't been able to contact him recently."

"What?"

"For the past two days, he has not responded to our dead drop."

Saddam Hussein suddenly understood everything.

"Mirza has been caught," he said, "or he was a double agent from the beginning. In either case, all the intelligence he gave us was fake."

"Yes."

Saddam Hussein paced back and forth.

He was thinking.

He had just lost 8,000 troops, 300 tanks, and the Rumaila oil field.

Even worse, he had lost his spy in the highest echelons of Iran.

He had to do something.

Otherwise, he would be pushed into a corner by Iran step by step.

"Deploy our Chemical weapons," he suddenly said.

Hassan Rajab was stunned for a moment.

"Your Excellency Saddam Hussein," he said, "our stockpile of Chemical weapons is limited. If we use them, we won't have any more—until the Mosul factory resumes production."

"I don't care," Saddam Hussein said. "Iran must pay the price."

"Target?"

Saddam Hussein thought for a moment.

"The Iranian army's staging area on the front line," he said. "They just launched an attack. Their troops are tired and scattered. If we attack with Chemical weapons, we can kill thousands."

"When?"

"Tomorrow," Saddam Hussein said. "Tomorrow at dawn."

"Yes."

Hassan Rajab went out.

Saddam Hussein sat in his chair.

He closed his eyes.

He knew he was about to commit another war crime.

He knew the international community would condemn him again.

But he didn't care.

As long as Iran also paid the price, everything was worth it.

10:00 AM. Frontline command post.

Reza received a call.

It was the Supreme Leader.

"Reza."

"Yes."

"You advanced to Rumaila without consulting me."

Reza was silent for a moment.

"An opportunity arose," he said. "I had to decide immediately."

"You said that every decision must be discussed with me."

"I know."

"You lied again."

"I did not lie," Reza said. "I just didn't consult you."

The Supreme Leader was silent for a long time.

"Reza," he finally said, "I warned you once."

"Yes."

"I will not warn you a second time."

The call ended.

Reza held the phone, not putting it down.

He knew the Supreme Leader was truly angry this time.

But he also knew he had done the right thing. If he hadn't occupied Rumaila, Iraq would have retained their oil revenue, continued buying weapons, and continued attacking.

War is about decisions. At critical moments, critical decisions must be made.

One cannot be bound by rules.

But he also knew the Supreme Leader would not tolerate him for too long.

He had to find a balance.

11:00 AM. Karimi's call.

"Your Excellency Reza," Karimi said, "I have urgent intelligence."

"Speak."

"Iraq may be preparing to use Chemical weapons."

Reza was stunned.

"When?"

"Tomorrow at dawn," Karimi said. "We have several informants on the Iraqi front line who saw Chemical weapons munitions being transported to the front."

"Target?"

"Our frontline staging area."

Reza closed his eyes.

The Iranian frontline staging area had about 50,000 troops. If Iraq attacked with Chemical weapons, the deaths would be in the tens of thousands.

"Our anti-chemical equipment?"

"It has been issued to most of the troops," Karimi said, "but not all. The newly arrived Chinese anti-chemical equipment is being distributed, but it takes time."

"Time?"

"If it's tomorrow at dawn, at most 30,000 troops will have it. 20,000 still won't have equipment."

Reza opened the communication channel.

"Immediately have the frontline troops retreat," he said. "Evacuate the area where Chemical weapons might strike."

"How far back?"

"Five kilometers."

"Yes."

But in his heart, he knew this wasn't enough.

The dispersal range of Chemical weapons is far more than five kilometers. If the wind direction is right, it can spread over a dozen kilometers.

Furthermore, for 50,000 troops to retreat five kilometers in a dozen hours, it would descend into chaos. If Iraq launched a Chemical weapons attack while they were retreating, the casualties would be even greater.

"Also," Reza said, "we must strike first."

"How do we strike first?"

"Destroy Iraq's Chemical weapons," Reza said, "before they use them."

"Do we know where the Chemical weapons are?"

"The informants know the transport route," Karimi said. "We can track the location of the Chemical weapons."

"Immediately deploy the Special Forces and Scud missiles," Reza said. "Target: destroy the frontline Chemical weapons stockpile."

"Yes."

The call ended.

Reza stood in the command post.

The war was still continuing.

Victory and death are separated by only a fine line.