Saudi Arabia and Syria Sign Defense Cooperation Agreement During al-Sharaa’s Riyadh Visit

CAIRO, Nov 4 (Reuters) — Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a defense cooperation agreement on Wednesday during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Riyadh, as the kingdom faces ongoing missile and drone attacks from Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group.

The pact was signed during al-Sharaa’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marking the Syrian leader’s second official visit to the kingdom in less than a month. While no specific details of the agreement have been released, Reuters previously reported that Damascus was carefully weighing whether to offer military assistance to Saudi Arabia amid the escalating conflict with the Houthis in Yemen.

A Syrian diplomat stated at the time that any military cooperation or exchange of expertise would occur exclusively through official channels and within the framework of bilateral agreements. Saudi Arabia has been actively seeking defensive and offensive support from international allies, including the United States, Europe, and regional partners, to counter the Houthi threat.

In addition to the defense agreement, the two nations signed several other pacts during al-Sharaa’s visit. Saudi Arabia has provided significant financial assistance to Syria and played a key role in helping Damascus rebuild ties with global powers after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. On Wednesday, the Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with Syria’s Finance Ministry, providing over $403 million in concessional development loans to support infrastructure and public services.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Yomna Ehab in Cairo; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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