According to a foreign news agency, Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed a defense agreement to further strengthen bilateral relations and increase security cooperation in the region. This development comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is seeking cooperation from the US, Europe and other Middle Eastern countries to strengthen its defense capabilities in the wake of Houthi rebels' missile and drone attacks in Yemen. According to the Reuters news agency, Saudi Arabia has also agreed to provide more than $403 million in concessional loans for reconstruction, energy, health, housing and infrastructure projects in Syria. This was the second meeting between the two leaders in Saudi Arabia in less than a month. However, the details of the agreement were not revealed. Reuters reported last month, citing sources, that Syria is carefully evaluating the possibility of providing military support to the kingdom in the wake of Saudi Arabia's escalating war against the Houthis in Yemen. A Syrian diplomat said at the time that any request for military cooperation or exchange of experience would be considered only through official channels and within the framework of bilateral agreements governing relations between the two brotherly countries. The Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with the Syrian Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, which will provide more than $403 million in concessional development loans to support Syria's development and public service sectors. According to the Syrian Ministry of Finance, the purpose of these loans is to strengthen the development projects and basic public facilities sectors in the country. While Saudi Arabia has been providing financial support to Syria, Riyadh has also played an important role in restoring Damascus' relations with world powers after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.