Ira¬nian airlines are reportedly supplying arms and equipment to President Bashar Assad’s military and its Iranian allies, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Shia mi¬litias in Iraq, and Houthi rebels in Yemen. This may trigger a crackdown by US officials that will focus on the air bridge between Iran and Syria.
Since the Syrian war began in March 2011, Hezbollah and the Shia militias have played a large part in keep¬ing Assad in power. Assad’s armed forces and the mili¬tias would have a hard time surviving without the airlifts.