▁the ▁army ▁against ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁pressure ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁conced e ▁to ▁army ▁dem ands . ▁ ▁Ang lo - I ra qi ▁War ▁and ▁second ▁British ▁occupation ▁The ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁Ira qi ▁coup ▁d ' état ▁over th rew ▁N uri ▁as - Sa id ▁and ▁placed ▁R ash id ▁Ali ▁al - G ay l ani ▁as ▁prime ▁minister ▁of ▁a ▁pro - N azi ▁government . ▁Ali ▁did ▁not ▁over throw ▁the ▁mon archy , ▁but ▁installed ▁a ▁more ▁comp li ant ▁Reg ent , ▁and ▁attempted ▁to ▁restrict ▁the ▁rights ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁under ▁the ▁treat y ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 0 . ▁R ash id ▁Ali ' s ▁attempted ▁to ▁secure ▁control ▁over ▁Ira q ▁asking ▁assistance ▁of ▁Naz i ▁Germany , ▁F asc ist ▁Italy ▁and ▁Imperial ▁Japan . ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 0 ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁Army ▁established ▁itself ▁on ▁the ▁high ▁ground ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Hab ban i ya ▁air ▁force ▁base . ▁An ▁Ira qi ▁en voy ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁demand ▁that ▁no ▁movements , ▁either ▁ground ▁or ▁air , ▁were ▁to ▁take ▁place ▁from ▁the ▁base . ▁The ▁British ▁refused ▁the ▁demand ▁and ▁then ▁themselves ▁demanded ▁that ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁army ▁leave ▁the ▁area ▁at ▁once . ▁After ▁a ▁further ▁ult imat um ▁given ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁hours ▁of ▁May ▁ 2 ▁exp ired , ▁at ▁ 0 5 0 0 ▁hours ▁the ▁British ▁began ▁bomb ing ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁troops ▁threaten ing ▁the ▁base