curl-w32/docs/cmdline-opts/request-target.md

c	SPDX-License-Identifier	Long	Arg	Help	Protocols	Added	Category	Multi	See-also	Example
Copyright (C) Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.	curl	request-target	<path>	Specify the target for this request	HTTP	7.55.0	http	single	request	--request-target "*" -X OPTIONS $URL

--request-target

Tells curl to use an alternative "target" (path) instead of using the path as provided in the URL. Particularly useful when wanting to issue HTTP requests without leading slash or other data that does not follow the regular URL pattern, like "OPTIONS *".

curl passes on the verbatim string you give it its the request without any filter or other safe guards. That includes white space and control characters.