The Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot revealed a project called "The Secret Cows," which it said aims to strengthen Israel's presence in an area under the control of the Israeli army in southern Syria near Wadi al-Raqad.
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The Israeli project, which is unusual in its kind, according to the Hebrew newspaper, relies on deploying about 140 head of cattle inside Syrian territory, as part of what it described as a security system aimed at consolidating control over the region.
This project comes in response to the lessons of October 7, when the Israeli army realized that relying on fences alone was no longer sufficient, prompting it to adopt the concept of a "permanent presence" using livestock as a means of deterring Syrian shepherds and other elements from approaching the border.
The project spans an estimated 10,000 dunams beyond the border fence, in an area that for years was considered a "weak point" allowing Syrians to cross freely. The operation was spearheaded by Israeli farmer Yoel Zilberman, who moved his flock into the area, while the army and Israeli activists erected approximately 22 kilometers of livestock fencing, some of which is electrified.
The newspaper quoted Israeli officers as saying that the project immediately deterred Syrian shepherds from the area, who feared their livestock would be confiscated. They considered it a restoration of effective control over the border, ending the infiltration that had been draining troops and triggering false alarms.
This project represents a radical shift in Israeli security doctrine, as events have proven that "sitting behind walls is a mistake."
To solidify this presence, the farm was recently renamed "Alot HaShachar" (Dawn Heights) in honor of an Israeli officer recently killed in Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Israeli Land Authority is currently reviewing administrative procedures to permanently regulate the use of this "closed military zone."
