Arab power makes unexpected request to Israel's neighbor
Saudi Arabia, amid escalating Houthi attacks, has turned to Syria with a request for military assistance. Options under consideration range from sending advisors to deploying ground forces in Yemen. The Syrian side expresses caution, fearing conflict with Iran and internal tensions.
Saudi Arabia, facing intensified drone and missile attacks from Yemen's Houthis, has made an unexpected request for military aid to Syria. According to a report by Mako, Riyadh and Damascus are considering several cooperation options. The first option involves sending Syrian officers and specialists with combat experience to establish a consultation system for defense against Iranian-made drones and missiles, as well as to develop plans for offensive operations. The second, more extensive option, entails deploying Syrian ground forces in Yemen to fight alongside Saudi-backed forces. Military experts, including those from RUSI, view these options as fundamentally different: sending specialists carries symbolic and tactical significance, while troop deployment is a far more complex step that Syria will likely try to avoid. Syrian officials have already emphasized that the country's main priority remains reconstruction and have denied reports of a demand to send fighters. They note serious risks: the Syrian army itself is undergoing reorganization, and the involvement of Sunni elements in fighting against Shia Houthis could heighten internal tensions. Moreover, Syria's open participation in the conflict could put it on a path of direct confrontation with Iran and Hezbollah. The article's author links the very fact of Saudi Arabia's appeal to Damascus to strategic changes in the Middle East and Syria's desire to distance itself from the Iranian axis. However, Damascus will likely act cautiously to avoid being drawn into a new conflict. The situation unfolds against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia's preparation for a large-scale military operation against the Houthis, which, according to the publication, receives support from U.S. intelligence.