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An attack in September 2026 shut down Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, a key route for oil exports to the Red Sea, prompting Riyadh to cancel some deliveries to Europe. Iraqi sources have pointed to a 'splinter' resistance faction as responsible for the strike, exposing the struggle of Iraq's prime minister to rein in armed factions operating in the region. The incident adds to instability in Gulf energy infrastructure amid the broader Iran war and regional tensions, raising concerns about energy security for European buyers reliant on Saudi crude.