Saudi Arabia turns to Syria for military support as Houthi strikes hit Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is deepening military cooperation with Syria, drawing on Syrian officers and troops to bolster its defences after a wave of Houthi missile and drone strikes hit targets deep inside the kingdom, including the capital, Riyadh.

Syrian military advisers have already arrived in Saudi Arabia, where they are helping train Yemeni government forces at an operations command centre in Jeddah. An initial contingent of roughly 600 Syrian special forces is scheduled to deploy along the Saudi-Yemeni border in the coming week, according to Syrian officials, following a two-week assessment mission led by Khaled Khattab, commander of Syria's 82nd Division.

The military cooperation follows a bilateral agreement signed during Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Riyadh earlier this month, where Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to extend more than $400 million in loans for Syrian post-war reconstruction. Damascus is also assessing whether to join the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, a mutual defence pact signed in August by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.

State news agency SANA quoted an unnamed Syrian diplomatic official denying that any Syrian troops would enter Yemen directly, stating that the arrangement focuses on training Saudi military forces and building defence capabilities.

Houthi targets across Saudi Arabia

The security realignment comes as fighting between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces reaches its highest intensity since an informal truce unravelled in July. Over the weekend, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree claimed six coordinated strikes against strategic and energy installations across Saudi Arabia.

Missiles struck the central business district of Riyadh, causing structural damage to the Aramco Tower. Saudi energy officials reported minor damage and no casualties, though verified video footage showed shattered windows across multiple floors. Saudi defence forces confirmed intercepting two cruise missiles over Riyadh and additional projectiles in southern regions.

Escalating regional conflict

The renewed fighting has ended the relative calm established by a 2022 United Nations-brokered truce. Hostilities resumed after Houthi forces declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in July, citing a Saudi blockade and airstrikes on Sanaa airport.

The United Nations estimates that more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 300,000 displaced since fighting resumed. The International Organization for Migration reported that more than 200,000 people were displaced in October alone as military operations expanded across Yemen.