Syria is preparing to send about 600 special forces fighters to Saudi Arabia in the coming week to help secure the kingdom's border and potentially support its fight against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, according to three officials who spoke to the Associated Press.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said Syrian military advisers had already arrived in Saudi Arabia. No Syrian fighters have been sent into Yemen, they said.

A Syrian official said the initial force of about 600 special forces personnel was expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia within the coming week. Saudi Arabia had insisted the fighters be Syrian nationals, rather than the foreign fighters who joined different rebel factions during Syria's civil war, the official said.

What officials described

A Syrian delegation led by Khaled Khattab, commander of the 82nd Division, recently completed a two-week visit to Saudi Arabia, according to one of the officials.

Another Syrian official said 36 Syrian military officers had visited a joint command and operations room in Jeddah, where Saudi and Yemeni officials briefed them on the various front lines and areas of operation.

A regional official said Syria had already sent a small number of military advisers to Saudi Arabia to help train Yemeni forces stationed inside the kingdom.

Neither government has announced any deployment, and Saudi officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Damascus denies Yemen deployment

Syria's state-run news agency SANA reported on Saturday that an unnamed diplomatic official in Syria dismissed reports that Syrian forces were headed to Yemen, saying the agreement with Saudi Arabia focuses on training its military forces and building its capabilities.

Syria's foreign minister has also denied that Damascus is sending troops to Yemen, framing the cooperation with Riyadh as training and defence-industry cooperation.

Separate reports citing Yemeni military officials have put the possible deployment far higher, at around 3,000 troops, with one source suggesting the total could eventually rise above 10,000. Those figures have not been confirmed by either government, and the distinction between advisers inside Saudi Arabia and combat troops in Yemen remains unresolved.

Why Riyadh is seeking help

The reports follow a defence cooperation agreement signed last week during a visit to Riyadh by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, his first major military deal with the kingdom since taking power. The visit also concluded with Riyadh pledging $403 million in loans to help Syria rebuild infrastructure damaged by 13 years of civil war.

Syrian officials have said publicly that the country is discussing joining the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed in August by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan, which commits the three countries to treating an attack against any one of them as an attack against all.

The agreement comes as Saudi Arabia faces renewed Houthi missile and drone attacks on its cities, airports and oil facilities, including a barrage at the weekend that damaged an Aramco administrative building in Riyadh.