Aden (South24 Center)

Syria’s presidential media adviser denied on Wednesday (October 7) that Saudi Arabia had requested Syrian troops for deployment to the Kingdom or Yemen, following reports that Damascus was considering military assistance to Riyadh amid escalating fighting against the Iran-aligned Houthi militia.

Ahmad Muaffaq Zaidan said Saudi and Gulf security were integral to Syria’s security, reaffirming Damascus’s solidarity with Riyadh. However, he dismissed reports of a Saudi request to send Syrian forces to country as false.

The denial followed a Reuters report, citing a U.S. official and a Syrian military official briefed on the matter, that Damascus was considering defensive assistance to protect Saudi Arabia or an offensive deployment to support Saudi-backed Yemeni forces against the Houthis. The U.S. official told the agency that Saudi Arabia had requested troops.

Axios reported that a potential deployment could involve between 10,000 and 20,000 troops from Syria’s 90th and 84th divisions, but said President Ahmed al-Sharaa had not yet made a decision.

In a separate statement, the Syrian Information Ministry’s Foreign Media Directorate said Damascus stood firmly alongside Saudi Arabia against threats to its security and stability, emphasizing that Syria’s regional policy focused on stability, peace and cooperation rather than opening new fronts.

The directorate said Syria’s priorities were rebuilding the country, strengthening state institutions, working with partners on reconstruction and improving Syrians’ living conditions. It stressed that any military cooperation with partner countries would take place through official channels and existing bilateral frameworks.

Zaidan’s statement specifically denied the Saudi request described in the reports, while the ministry’s separate statement outlined the framework for military cooperation without categorically ruling out future assistance.

The reports emerged after Sharaa visited Riyadh on Tuesday (October 6), accompanied by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, and met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Syrian presidency’s public statement said the talks covered bilateral relations, regional developments and shared interests in security and stability, without announcing an agreement to deploy troops.

Reuters reported, citing the U.S. official, that potential military assistance was discussed during the visit. It added that the Saudi government media office and Yemen’s information minister had not responded to its requests for comment.

In a follow-up published on Thursday (October 8), Reuters continued to report that Syrian military support remained under consideration. It also reported Saudi efforts to secure assistance from Türkiye and Pakistan, including defensive and logistical support.

The prospect of Syrian involvement comes as Damascus rebuilds its armed forces following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. Reuters highlighted the difficulties of integrating former opposition factions into a national army while containing domestic tensions, noting that fighting the Houthis could aggravate tensions with Iran and its allies in Lebanon and Iraq.

Saudi support for Syria has also extended to economic recovery. In May 2025, the World Bank confirmed that Saudi Arabia and Qatar had cleared approximately $15.5 million in Syrian arrears to its International Development Association, restoring the country’s eligibility for new financing operations under the bank’s policies.

The debate over Syrian assistance coincides with renewed offensives and cross-border attacks in Yemen.

The Southern Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive near Bab al-Mandeb on Monday (October 5), with field sources reporting advances around Dhubab and its military airport. A senior source told South24 Center that the Southern Giants forces had launched the attack on their own.

Yemen’s Transport Ministry and Aden police said on Wednesday that Aden International Airport had been targeted with two ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones. One missile landed near the runway shortly before Yemenia flight 603 from Cairo was due to arrive, prompting authorities to divert it to Jeddah. No casualties were reported, according to initial information.

Saudi Arabia also announced late Wednesday that three people had been killed in attacks on Riyadh and Abha airports. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed another ballistic missile attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, while Reuters reported no immediate Saudi response to that claim.