Operation Tiger (1992)

Operation Tiger
Part of the Croatian War of Independence
Map of Operation Tiger and follow-up operations
Date 1–13 July 1992 Location Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina Result Croatian victory
Belligerents
Croatia	Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders
Anton Tus Janko Bobetko	Ratko Mladić Radovan Grubač
Strength
1,475	unknown

Operation Tiger (Croatian: Operacija Tigar) was a Croatian Army (HV) offensive conducted in areas of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina near Dubrovnik between 1 and 13 July 1992. It was designed to push the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) away from the city towards Popovo field and secure a supply route via Rijeka Dubrovačka, which was gained in early June as the siege of Dubrovnik by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) was lifted. The operation's success was facilitated by the establishment of the HV's Southern Front command and the successful conclusion of the May–June 1992 operations against the VRS in the Neretva River valley, which concluded with Operation Jackal.

Although Operation Tiger captured only 40 square kilometres (15 square miles) of territory, it secured the Ploče–Dubrovnik road and placed the HV in a position to capture the rest of southern Dalmatia over the following three-and-a-half months. That was achieved through a negotiated JNA withdrawal from Konavle followed by an HV amphibious operation in the area of Cavtat— capturing Konavle before the VRS could move in and reach the Adriatic Sea coast. Two additional HV offensives aimed at securing the Dubrovnik area defenses —Operation Liberated Land and an assault on the Vlaštica Peak— stabilized the HV hold on the area and threatened VRS-held Trebinje in the eastern Herzegovina. As a result of the JNA pullback, the Prevlaka peninsula was demilitarized and placed under United Nations control until 1996.