Dubai (United Arab Emirates) (AFP) – Thousands of Syrian troops are set to deploy to Saudi Arabia and Yemen, with some already on the ground, multiple Yemeni officials told AFP, as Riyadh rallies international help to repel the Houthis and bolster the government in Aden.

Issued on: 07/11/2026 - 18:39

It came after the two countries signed cooperation agreements this week including a defence deal, with Syria considering joining the recently enacted mutual defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.

Hundreds of Syrian troops have already been deployed to both sides of the border, according to three separate Yemeni military sources and a defence official, with more to come.

Later on Saturday, Syria's official SANA news agency cited a diplomatic source who insisted Damascus had not sent troops to Yemen "at this time".

However, a source from the Presidential Leadership Council, Yemen's top governing body, told AFP that Syria would send as many as 3,000 troops to help fend off the Houthis.

The arrangement was greenlit during Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Riyadh this week, during which the two countries agreed to various deals, according to the PLC source.

Later, a high-level Yemeni defence ministry source told AFP that while the first phase would involve around 3,000 troops, with some already in place, as many as 10,000 could eventually be deployed.

Those already stationed on the Yemeni side of the border at the moment are leading drone operations against the Houthis in the area, one of the military officials told AFP.

The kingdom -- a key backer of Syria's post-Assad government in place since late 2024 -- has been pressing allies for help as it comes under daily fire from the Iran-backed group that recently seized swaths of the Red Sea coastline from the Riyadh-backed government.

The Houthis have ramped up attacks on the kingdom in recent weeks, forcing Riyadh airport to close for two weeks after fatal strikes there and threatening Saudi Arabia's vast economic diversification plans.

Boots on the ground

According to the Yemeni defence ministry source, technical teams from the Syrian and Saudi defence ministries are currently in Riyadh putting the final touches on arrangements for Syrian forces to take part in operations against the Houthi militias.

Just last week, Syria's top diplomat said publicly that Damascus was considering whether to join the NATO-style Mecca defence alliance that binds Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The diplomatic source quoted by SANA said the agreement with Riyadh "focuses on training military forces and building their capabilities" and that "coordination visits" to Syria would take place next month.

This cooperation "could potentially develop in the future into a mutual defence agreement or Syria joining the Mecca Alliance," the source said.

The Syrian army is comprised of a patchwork of groups, mostly Islamists including foreign jihadists that overthrew former strongman Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 after more than a decade of civil war.

That conflict devastated Syria's economy and infrastructure and it is relying in particular on wealthy Gulf nations such as Saudi Arabia to help fund the vast cost of reconstruction.

Alliances

In August, Riyadh, Islamabad and Ankara signed their defence pact in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, which states an attack on one country is to be considered an attack on all three.

Pakistan and Turkey have not announced any attacks on the Iran-backed Houthis.

Egypt's parliament later approved President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's request to allow defensive military support for Saudi Arabia "if requested".

Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron made a surprise visit to Riyadh and said France was sending troops to help shield a key Saudi oil terminal from Houthi attacks.

Also in October, the UK government announced it would deploy British fighter planes to help Saudi Arabia against the attacks.

Since the summer, Yemen has been gripped by renewed fighting after the collapse of a four-year-old truce.

The country has been reeling from war since 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, with a Saudi-led coalition entering the conflict a year later in support of the government.

© 2026 AFP

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