In a departure from the region's long tradition of deniability, Baghdad this week acknowledged that an attack on Saudi Arabian oil pipeline infrastructure was launched from within Iraqi territory. The admission — rare in its directness — arrives against a backdrop of mounting cross-border tensions and proxy activity, placing Iraq at the center of a confrontation with significant consequences for regional stability and global energy markets. Whether the strike was carried out by state forces or armed militias operating within Iraq's borders remains unresolved, and that distinction may determine