DAMASCUS, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Syrian interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa said that Syria is working toward a security agreement with Israel, with the participation of several countries, in hopes of paving the way for broader peace while safeguarding Syria's rights.

In an interview with Al Jazeera aired on Sunday, al-Sharaa said Damascus is seeking to avoid military confrontation with Israel and views such an arrangement as a possible gateway to a more comprehensive resolution.

However, he stressed that any future agreement would not compromise Syria's rights to the occupied Golan Heights.

Israel has launched waves of strikes and incursions in southern Syria since the collapse of former President Bashar Assad's government in December 2024.

On neighboring Lebanon, al-Sharaa dismissed speculation of Syrian military intervention, saying that Damascus has no intention of deploying forces there. ■