Syria has begun sending military advisers and trainers to Saudi Arabia as Riyadh confronts renewed attacks from Yemen's Houthis, according to Reuters, which reported the development on Friday, 6 November. Two Syrian military sources and a senior United States official told the agency that a limited number of Syrian personnel had travelled to the kingdom to advise and train Saudi and Yemeni units.

The move follows a defence cooperation agreement signed on Wednesday during a visit to Riyadh by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, his second meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in less than a month. The two Syrian sources said scores of military personnel had gone to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, and that their work involved advice and training, although their mandate could be broader.

Advisers, not a deployment, Damascus says

A senior Syrian diplomat pushed back on the idea of a formal deployment, telling Reuters that any such suggestion was premature at this stage and that Syria's focus remained on internal security, its borders and reconstruction. The diplomat said the agreement signed on Wednesday specifically covered advisory support, training and the exchange of expertise.

A senior Saudi official told Reuters that joint training exercises were already under way and that more were planned in security and defence. Saudi Arabia has faced worsening hostilities with the Iran-allied Houthis since July, when the Yemen war reignited amid the wider regional conflict, with the group firing missiles at Saudi airports and oil facilities.

The cooperation also comes as Syria studies joining the Mecca defence pact linking Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey. Turkey's parliament ratified the pact on Thursday, and Syria's foreign minister has said discussions are under way about Damascus joining the alliance.