 Gotovina planned a two-stage, two-pronged advance towards the main objectives and an auxiliary attack on ARSK-held territory south-west of the salient.In the first stage of the operation, the attacking forces were tasked with capturing the village of Crni Lug and the southern part of the pass, while the second stage was planned to capture the Mount Šator and the Crvena Zemlja ridge to the north, blocking the Bosansko Grahovo-Glamoč road and making Glamoč difficult to resupply.The Croatian forces fielded approximately 5,000 troops, spearheaded by the HV 4th Guards Brigade and supported by the 1st Croatian Guards Brigade ("1. hrvatski gardijski zdrug" - HGZ), the 1st Battalion of the 1st Guards Brigade, the 3rd Battalion of the 126th Home Guard Regiment of the HV, the HVO 3rd Guards Brigade and the Bosnian Croat special police.