Syria offers support to Saudi Arabia against the Houthis.

ARK News.. Military relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia are witnessing remarkable developments, with reports of dozens of Syrian military personnel arriving in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks as part of defense cooperation, including providing advice and training and exchanging military expertise. This comes amid indications that the scope of this cooperation could expand, as well as American warnings to Damascus against engaging in any military escalation related to the war in Yemen.

Reuters, citing Syrian military sources, Saudi and American officials, and Syrian diplomats, reported on the nature of military cooperation between the two countries, the potential roles of Syrian forces, and the regional implications of Syrian military involvement in Yemen.

Syrian military sources told Reuters that dozens of Syrian military personnel had arrived in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks to provide advisory support and training, adding that their assigned roles could extend beyond these activities.

In the same context, a senior US official told the agency that Syrian advisers and training teams were heading to Saudi Arabia to train Saudi and Yemeni units and enhance their combat capabilities.

The nature and scope of these tasks remain unclear, given the conflicting statements about the limits of military cooperation between the two sides and the possibility of its expansion in the next stage.

Reflecting the regional sensitivities surrounding this cooperation, Reuters quoted a senior US official as saying that Washington had urged Damascus to exercise caution over any potential involvement in the war in Yemen.

The official warned that any Syrian military deployment to help Saudi Arabia in Yemen could lead to Syria being drawn into the wider regional war, with consequent political and security repercussions for Damascus.

These warnings come as questions grow over the role Syria may play in future regional security and military arrangements.

On the other hand, a senior Syrian diplomat considered that talk of any Syrian military deployment to Saudi Arabia at the current stage was premature, explaining that the defense cooperation agreement between the two countries includes advisory support, training, and the exchange of expertise.

The diplomat added that the agreement could develop in the future to include broader forms of cooperation, similar to the Mecca Agreement, but stressed that Syria's current priorities are focused on strengthening internal security, protecting borders, and reconstruction.

These statements, according to observers, reflect Syria's orientation towards developing defense relations with Riyadh while maintaining its focus on the internal challenges facing the country.

A senior Saudi official told Reuters that the aim of exchanging military expertise with Syria was to contribute to the restructuring of the Syrian forces.

The official mentioned the possibility of Saudi Arabia benefiting from Syrian combat experience in dealing with militias. He added that the two countries were already conducting joint exercises in the fields of security and defense, and that there were plans to organize more in the near future.

These statements indicate that cooperation is not limited to traditional training but also includes the exchange of expertise in the security and defense fields to serve the common interests of the two countries.

In parallel with the information reported by Reuters, media outlets and press reports, including the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, circulated reports about discussions related to possible military arrangements involving Syria's participation in the Yemen issue.

Some of these reports discussed figures ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 fighters within possible scenarios for deploying troops or providing military support in Yemen.

However, this information has not been independently verified, and Syrian advisers and parties have denied some details relating to the deployment of fighters to participate in military operations there.

Other reports also indicated the arrival of around 1,500 to 2,000 Syrian soldiers and military trainers in Saudi Arabia, but these figures were not independently confirmed in statements attributed to sources cited by Reuters.

These developments come on the heels of the official visit of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Riyadh, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of the two countries' efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and develop cooperation in various fields.

Relations between Damascus and Riyadh have witnessed increasing efforts to build security and defense partnerships, alongside the signing of a military cooperation agreement between the defense ministries of the two countries.

49