Syria Sends Military Advisers and Training Teams to Saudi Arabia Amid Ongoing Houthi Attacks

RIYADH: Syria is sending military advisers and training teams to Saudi Arabia as the kingdom faces attacks from Yemen’s Houthi forces, according to two Syrian military sources and a senior U.S. official. A limited number of Syrian personnel have been deployed to the kingdom in recent weeks.

Saudi Arabia has been engaged in escalating hostilities with the Iran‑aligned Houthis since July, when the Yemen conflict intensified amid the broader Middle‑East war. Riyadh has sought both defensive and offensive assistance from a range of allies.

The U.S. official said that Syrian advisers and training units—drawn from fighters hardened by years of combat in Syria—are traveling to Saudi Arabia to help train Saudi and Yemeni forces operating inside the kingdom, aiming to boost their combat effectiveness.

Two Syrian sources with direct knowledge said scores of personnel have moved from Syria to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. They confirmed that the mission involves advisory and training duties, though the scope could be broader.

A senior Syrian diplomat, asked for comment, said any suggestion of military deployments at this stage was premature and that Syria’s priorities remain internal security, border protection, and reconstruction. He added that a Syrian‑Saudi defense cooperation agreement signed on Wednesday includes advisory support, training, and expertise exchange.

A senior Saudi official told Reuters that the ongoing expertise sharing with Syria is “mainly to restructure Syrian forces … but that doesn’t mean our Syrian partners don’t help us with their combat experience regarding fighting militias.” Joint training exercises are underway and more are planned in security and defense.

The defense pact was signed on Wednesday during Syrian President Ahmed Al‑Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh, his second meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in less than a month. No further details were disclosed.

Washington has urged Damascus to proceed cautiously, warning that any Syrian deployment to aid in the Yemen war could draw the country into the wider regional conflict, a step Syria has sought to avoid.

The Saudi government, Syrian Defense Ministry, U.S. State Department, Yemen’s internationally recognized government, and the Houthis did not respond to requests for comment.

Makkah Pact: Since the 2024 overthrow of Bashar Assad, Syria has emerged as a close ally of Saudi Arabia and the United States. Its newly reconstituted military consists of former rebels who fought against Assad and Iran‑backed groups.

Turkey, a close ally of Damascus, ratified a defense pact signed in Makkah in August between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, enabling Ankara to provide military support to Riyadh. The senior Syrian diplomat indicated the Saudi‑Syrian agreement may evolve to include broader cooperation similar to the Makkah pact.

The deal signed on Wednesday is described as a “broad framework for military cooperation,” complemented by other memorandums of understanding in finance and agriculture. Separately, the Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with Syria’s Finance Ministry worth over $403 million in concessional loans to support development and service sectors.

These loans are a critical lifeline for Syria, which faces a massive reconstruction bill and struggles to revive its economy.

Since the Yemen war reignited, the Houthis have seized territory from the Yemeni government in several areas, while the government has made limited gains elsewhere. Houthi missile strikes have targeted Saudi airports and oil facilities, prompting Saudi airstrikes in support of its Yemeni allies.

Reuters reported in October that Syria was evaluating options to assist Saudi Arabia, ranging from defensive aid to protect the kingdom against attacks to deploying forces in an offensive capacity to aid Saudi‑backed Yemeni troops fighting the Houthis.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al‑Shaibani, speaking at a recent conference in Bahrain, said discussions were underway on Syria’s potential entry into the Makkah pact. “Syria considers the security of the Arab Gulf part of regional security … Syria stands by the people and governments of the Gulf in the face of challenges and militias operating across borders,” he stated.

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