Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa warned on Wednesday that Israeli attacks on his country risk triggering fresh conflicts across the Middle East.

Addressing the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, al-Sharaa said Israel’s actions “run counter to international support for Syria and its people” and are an attempt to exploit the country’s transitional phase. Such policies, he cautioned, could push the region into “a spiral of conflicts whose outcome no one can predict,” according to Agence France-Presse.

The Syrian leader also underscored the challenges facing Damascus as it works to rebuild and attract foreign investment, stressing that continued Israeli aggression undermines prospects for stability and recovery.