The objective of the operation was to cut the Axis access to the oil wells and fuel processing plants in the Nagykanizsa region west of Lake Balaton for the protection of which the Army Group South force built up three defensive lines behind the natural water obstacle of the Mura river linked to the western shore of the lake. The German reference to this operation is the "Budapest front". The primary opponents on this sector of the front was the 2nd Panzer Army which included the LXVII and XXII Army Corps.