What is the primary purpose of offensive combat?

The primary purpose of offensive combat is to destroy the enemy and their will to fight. In an offensive operation, the attacking force aims to engage the enemy in a way that depletes their resources, manpower, and morale. By inflicting significant losses and disrupting their ability to organize and respond, the offensive seeks not just to gain territory but to achieve a decisive impact on the enemy's capability to continue the conflict.

This approach is essential in military strategy, as it directly addresses the overall goal of achieving victory by incapacitating the opposing force. By forcing the enemy into a position of retreat or surrender, the offensive operation serves to shift the momentum of the conflict in favor of the attacking side. Other goals like holding ground or providing defensive support, while important in their own right, do not capture the essence of what an offensive operation aims to accomplish, which is rooted in aggressive engagement and the destruction of the enemy's will to resist. Gathering intelligence is also a critical aspect of military operations, but it is typically a supporting function that supplements offensive actions rather than the primary purpose itself.