Saudi Arabia turns to Syria for help as fighting with Houthis escalates
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria is preparing to send fighters to Saudi Arabia to deploy along its border and potentially help it fight Iranian-backed rebels in neighboring Yemen, three officials with knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press.
Syrian military advisers have already deployed to Saudi Arabia, but no fighters have been sent to Yemen, according to a regional official and two Syrian officials, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
Officials in Saudi Arabia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Fighting escalated this summer in Yemen between the Houthi rebels and the government's Saudi-backed forces. The Houthis have also launched direct and deadly attacks on Saudi Arabia in what is the latest front in the regional conflict that began in February when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.
Syria, which has a supply of battle-hardened fighters after a long civil war, has so far stayed on the sidelines.
Saudi Arabia has an array of U.S.-supplied fighter jets and missile defenses but has been unable to defeat the Houthis in past rounds of conflict.
While Saudi Arabia's other allies have been reluctant to commit ground forces to its fight with the Houthis, the Syrian government is beholden to it. The Saudis provided funds to Syrian rebels during that country's civil war and have promised much-needed financial assistance for Syria's postwar reconstruction.
A Syrian official said that an initial force of about 600 Syrian special forces fighters is expected to be deployed to Saudi Arabia in the coming week.
The official said that a Syrian delegation led by Khaled Khattab, commander of the 82nd Division, had recently made a two-week visit to Saudi Arabia.
A second Syrian official said 36 Syrian military officials visited a command and operations room in Jeddah staffed by Saudi and Yemeni officials and received briefings on the different front lines and areas of operation.
A regional official with knowledge of the discussions said Syria had already deployed a “small number of advisers” to Saudi Arabia, where they helped train Yemeni forces inside the kingdom.
An unnamed diplomatic official in Syria dismissed reports that Syrian forces were headed to Yemen, the country's state-run news agency, SANA, reported on Saturday. The official said the agreement with Saudi Arabia focuses on training its military forces and building its capabilities.
Syrian officials have said publicly that the country is discussing the possibility of joining a joint defense agreement recently signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.
The Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed in August, commits the three countries to regard an attack against one as an attack on all three, and to deepen military cooperation in other ways.
The two Syrian officials said that a decision had already been made — but not publicly announced — for Syria to join the Mecca pact, while the regional official said talks were still ongoing.
One concern is that Syria might ask the other countries for their support against Israel, the regional official said. Following the ouster of Syria’s former President Bashar Assad in December 2024, Israeli forces seized control of a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in southern Syria and have occupied it since.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says his government does not seek a conflict with Israel and has called for Israeli forces to withdraw.
Syria and Saudi Arabia announced last week that they had signed a military cooperation agreement, without providing details. During a visit to Riyadh by al-Sharaa, the Saudi government agreed to lend Syria more than $400 million for postwar reconstruction of homes and basic infrastructure.
Syria has turned down proposals by U.S. President Donald Trump for its forces to intervene against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. Al-Sharaa has said his focus is on rebuilding Syria after its lengthy civil war and that he wants to avoid getting embroiled in new conflicts.
But Saudi Arabia has been key to its reintegration into the Arab world, which had largely shunned Syria under Assad’s rule.
Syrian involvement in the fighting against the Houthis in Yemen could expose it to attacks by militias in neighboring Iraq that are allied with the Houthis.
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Magdy reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.
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