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Iran and Israel's Undeclared War at Sea: IRGC-Hizbullah Financing Schemes
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Matthew Levitt - Israel and Iran appear to be in the midst of a gray-zone maritime conflict. Oil smuggling by Iran's Revolutionary Guards allows it to fund and arm Hizbullah while also benefiting the Assad regime in Syria. After mid-2018, these deliveries became Tehran's primary means of financing Hizbullah, and in some cases included arms as well. Israel's maritime actions have caused delays that deprive the Syrian regime of gasoline imports and prevent hard cash, weapons, and missile production equipment from reaching Hizbullah. The writer is director of the Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.