▁contributed ▁to ▁their ▁goal ▁of ▁gain ing ▁control ▁over ▁western ▁Bos nia ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Ban ja ▁Lu ka — the ▁largest ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁Bos n ian ▁Ser b - h eld ▁territory . ▁ ▁While ▁NAT O ▁launched ▁Operation ▁D eli ber ate ▁Force — a ▁series ▁of ▁a irst rik es ▁that ▁generally ▁target ed ▁the ▁V RS ▁around ▁Sar aje vo , ▁western ▁Bos nia ▁remained ▁relatively ▁calm ▁following ▁Operation ▁Storm , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁prob ing ▁attacks ▁launched ▁by ▁the ▁V RS , ▁H VO ▁or ▁AR Bi H ▁near ▁Bi ha ć , ▁Dr var ▁and ▁G lam o č . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁the ▁H V , ▁H VO ▁and ▁AR Bi H ▁were ▁planning ▁a ▁joint ▁off ensive ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁The ▁H V ▁and ▁H VO ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁off ensive , ▁c oden amed ▁Operation ▁Ma est ral ▁ 2 , ▁was ▁launched ▁on ▁ 8 ▁September ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁capt uring ▁the ▁towns ▁of ▁J aj ce , ▁Š ip ovo ▁and ▁Dr var . ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁September , ▁as ▁NAT O ▁a irst rik es ▁ceased , ▁and ▁the ▁H V ▁and ▁H VO ▁ne ared ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁their ▁object ives , ▁the ▁AR Bi H ▁ 5 th ▁Corps ▁launched ▁Operation ▁S ana , ▁pushing ▁the ▁V RS ▁sout heast ▁from ▁Bi ha ć ▁by ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁and ▁w iden ing ▁the ▁sail ent ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁AR Bi H ▁north ▁towards