za , ▁Special ▁En voy ▁of ▁the ▁Secretary - General ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁C yrus ▁V ance ▁and ▁the ▁EC MM ▁on ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁bomb ard ment . ▁Later ▁that ▁day , ▁the ▁J NA ▁issued ▁a ▁statement ▁of ▁regret ▁and ▁promised ▁an ▁inqu iry . ▁On ▁ 7 ▁December , ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁J NA ▁visited ▁the ▁Old ▁Town ▁to ▁inspect ▁the ▁damage ▁but ▁no ▁further ▁actions ▁were ▁noted . ▁ ▁All ▁of ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁def ences ▁were ▁ ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁Old ▁Town , ▁except ▁for ▁Fort ▁Imperial ▁about ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁The ▁for tr ess ▁was ▁attacked ▁at ▁ 5 : 5 0   am min utes ▁after ▁the ▁bomb ard ment ▁of ▁the ▁Old ▁Town ▁began . ▁The ▁attack ▁was ▁executed ▁by ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Battalion ▁of ▁the ▁J NA ▁ 4 7 2 nd ▁Motor ized ▁Brigade , ▁adv ancing ▁simultaneously ▁from ▁two ▁directions . ▁The ▁primary ▁attack ▁consisted ▁of ▁a ▁company - s ized ▁force , ▁and ▁the ▁secondary ▁of ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁of ▁inf antry men both ▁supported ▁by ▁T - 5 5 ▁t anks ▁and ▁art illery . ▁By ▁ 8   am , ▁the ▁inf antry ▁reached ▁Fort ▁Imperial , ▁forcing ▁the ▁def ending ▁force ▁to ▁retre at ▁into ▁the ▁fort ification ▁and ▁request ▁help . ▁Mar in ović ▁ordered ▁H V ▁art illery ▁to ▁fire ▁directly ▁onto ▁the ▁for tr ess ▁and ▁dispatch ed ▁a ▁special ▁police ▁unit ▁to ▁rein force ▁the ▁Fort