Damascus has denied media reports that Saudi Arabia requested Syrian troops for the kingdom or Yemen, while stressing its support for the security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. It said its policy was based on stability, peace, cooperation and avoiding the opening of new fronts, as developments linked to Houthi attacks and regional mutual-defence arrangements continue to be monitored.
The Syrian Ministry of Information said Damascus’s policy was centred on stability, peace and cooperation, not involvement in new fronts. At the same time, the ministry firmly affirmed Syria’s support for Saudi Arabia in confronting threats to the kingdom’s security and stability, combining political and security backing for Riyadh with rejection of reports of Syrian military intervention.
Syrian presidential media adviser Ahmad Muwaffaq Zidan denied reports that the kingdom had requested Syrian troops for Saudi Arabia or Yemen, describing them in a post on X as “lies with no basis in fact”. He added that the security of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf was part of Syria’s security, affirming that “Damascus stands with its people in the Holy Places with full strength and steadfastness”.
Researchers explain Damascus’s regional policy
Writer and political researcher Ahmad Qassem said the strategic vision of the new Syria was based on staying away from various regional and international conflicts. In a statement to Syria Now, he added that Syria needed reconstruction and was seeking to consolidate stability in the region, considering that domestic and economic priorities were driving Damascus to avoid involvement in new confrontations.
Qassem said Syria, by virtue of its geopolitical position, played a role he described as “the safety valve and guarantor of stability for the region”, explaining that the messages Damascus had sent to its regional and international surroundings reflected this approach. He noted that official communication channels between Damascus and Riyadh were in their best condition, making it possible to handle any formal request, if one existed, through those channels without relying on media leaks.
Qassem said Syria’s current approach was to stay out of fighting and distance itself from regional and international conflicts. He questioned who benefited from leaks targeting Damascus and the timing of their release, noting that another media report had circulated about a meeting between Syrian officials and Hezbollah officials before that report was also denied.
For his part, writer and political researcher Mustafa al-Nuaimi said the Syrian leadership’s priorities began with defending Syria internally. He added that if an agreement were reached on joint Arab national security or energy security, it could lead to forms of joint security cooperation and perhaps extend to the military level, depending on the nature of the agreements and developments.
Al-Sharaa and bin Salman hold talks in Riyadh
These positions came after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa held talks in Riyadh on 6 October this month with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The talks addressed relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in a manner serving their shared interests, as well as an exchange of views on regional developments and issues of common interest to support regional security and stability, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency. On 5 October this month, the Mecca Pact Council issued a statement announcing the immediate start of implementing mutual-defence commitments.
Mecca Pact activates mutual-defence commitments
The council affirmed that the necessary forces would be provided and rapidly deployed inside Saudi territory following the Houthi attacks, stressing that the security of each pact member state was an integral part of its collective security. Al-Nuaimi said developments in attacks by Yemen’s Ansar Allah (the Houthis) could change the rules of engagement towards pre-emptive action, and possibly preventive action if necessary.
He said Houthi forces had targeted Aden with missiles after previously targeting Saudi cities, considering this a sign of a change in some rules of engagement. Al-Nuaimi added that the Mecca Pact was still in its early stages, noting that Turkey had denied the possibility of sending ground forces to Saudi Arabia.
He explained that the mutual-defence agreement was initially limited to air defence, while Saudi Arabia was supporting Yemeni government forces in defensive operations as a first stage.
