Syria considering sending troops to Yemen to fight Houthis

Saudi Arabia and Syria are discussing sending Syrian troops to Yemen to join the counteroffensive against the Houthi rebels, three U.S. officials told Axios.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa is seriously considering it, but hasn't decided.

Why it matters: While the discussion is mostly between Saudi Arabia and Syria, the Trump administration has been consulted by both countries and is not opposed in principle to such a move, the U.S. officials said.

But sending Syrian troops could inject a religious dimension into the Yemen war and exacerbate the conflict.

The troops could include Islamist Sunni foreign fighters who participated in the rebellion against the Assad regime.

They would be fighting against the Houthis, who follow Zaydi Shiite Islam.

Driving the news: The Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia launched a massive ground operation over the weekend against the Houthis.

The offensive was designed to retake territories the Houthis control, including the capital Sanaa and the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

A U.S. official said the issue of sending Syrian troops to Yemen came up during the meeting between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and al-Sharaa in Riyadh earlier this week.

The Saudis want al-Sharaa to send troops in order to boost the Yemeni forces that are less trained than the Houthis.

While al-Sharaa hasn't signed off on the decision yet, the U.S. official said it is highly likely the Syrian president will accept the Saudi request.

Behind the scenes: The U.S. doesn't oppose sending Syrian troops to Yemen.

It would provide more support for the Saudi-backed operation against the Houthis without the U.S. having to get deeply involved, a U.S. official said.

Trump administration officials also believe that deploying Syrian troops to Yemen would strengthen the relationship between two U.S. allies, Saudi Arabia and Syria.