Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa speaks during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 24, 2025, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
Damascus is currently opting for a cautious approach, consulting regional allies including Turkey while focusing internal efforts on disrupting weapons and drug trafficking routes across its borders.
By Ariel Sharfer, JFeed
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa revealed in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera that Damascus is actively working toward a security agreement with Israel alongside a coalition of international partners, a framework he noted could eventually open the door to a comprehensive peace deal.
Al-Sharaa emphasized that Syria seeks to avoid multi-front conflicts or direct military escalation with Israel.
His calculated statements arrive following suggestions from U.S. President Donald Trump that Syria take responsibility for countering Hezbollah operations within Lebanese territory.
“President Trump expressed concern over events in Lebanon and seeks an end to the war there. He discussed Syria’s potential role in securing a resolution, but those remarks were misconstrued as though Syria intends to invade Lebanon tomorrow morning,” al-Sharaa explained.
He added, “We have a deep issue with Hezbollah, but we do not want all of Lebanon to suffer.”
The Syrian leader ruled out any military intervention in Lebanon, stressing that Beirut cannot remain trapped between civil strife and conflict with Israel.
“Lebanese Shiites require calm, not further intimidation and confrontation,” al-Sharaa noted, asserting that regional shockwaves in Lebanon directly impact Syrian stability.
Ahead of his White House summit with President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed regional developments on Monday, stating, “We are living in complex times, requiring firm action and a committed effort to expand the circle of peace.”
On the Ground Escalation
Despite diplomatic maneuvering, Syrian state news agency SANA reported heightened military operations in southern Syria.
On Monday morning, IDF troops advanced into the villages of Ma’ariya and Al-Aarda in the Daraa countryside, establishing military checkpoints and dispersing warning leaflets advising residents against interfering with operational activities.
Concurrently, artillery fire was reported across the Quneitra region.
The contrast between diplomatic dialogue and tactical realities remains stark.
While al-Sharaa reiterated Damascus’s desire to avoid open conflict, defense discussions between Syrian and American officials continue behind closed doors, with Washington pressing for stringent oversight of foreign fighters and enhanced border controls.
Strategic Regional Balance
Damascus is currently opting for a cautious approach, consulting regional allies including Turkey while focusing internal efforts on disrupting weapons and drug trafficking routes across its borders.
Official Syrian sources recently announced the interception of illicit arms shipments bound for Lebanon.
Addressing historical grievances, al-Sharaa reiterated Syria’s stance on the Golan Heights, asserting that discussions regarding Hezbollah’s disarming remain unviable while Israeli forces occupy positions in southern Lebanon and southern Syria.
He emphasized his intention to heal internal wounds left by Hezbollah during the Syrian civil war while avoiding broader regional escalation.
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