In May 1941 the British Empire occupied Iraq to reverse a pro-German nationalist "coup d'état" and reinstate King 'Abd al-Ilah, and in June and July it invaded Vichy-controlled Greater Lebanon and Syria whose airfields had refuelled "Regia Aeronautica" and "Luftwaffe" flights to northern Iraq. From July 1941 until the beginning of February 1942 "Khedive Ismail" continually brought British Indian Army reinforcements from India to Basra in Iraq, making seven trips from Bombay and two from Karachi.