Syria is considering providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia as the kingdom faces escalating missile and drone attacks from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

A U.S. official said Saudi Arabia had asked Syria to deploy forces, with options including defensive support and assistance to Saudi-backed Yemeni troops fighting the Houthis.

Syrian officials expressed support for Saudi Arabia but emphasized that their government’s main priorities remain domestic recovery and reconstruction after years of civil war.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported three deaths from Houthi missile attacks, while its military continued strikes against Houthi targets as fighting intensified across Yemen, Ynet News has reported.

The conflict has raised concerns about control of the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait, a major global shipping route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.