"The playground of terrorist organizations": A special report along the tense Syrian Golan sector
The "New East" project is fortifying the Golan with deep trenches and earthen embankments to hinder terrorist infiltration. The 474th Brigade maintains nine outposts deep within the territory, operating in a complex environment where distinguishing between civilians and combatants is a constant challenge.
Two years after the launch of the "New East" project, designed to fortify the entire Israel-Syria border with four-meter-deep trenches and high earthen embankments, the IDF reports that approximately 80% of the work is complete. Stretching from the Majdal Shams area to the southern border triangle, these fortifications are intended to hinder and delay foot infiltration by enemy forces.
According to a senior officer in the Northern Command, the "drainage points" along the border are under constant surveillance and artillery coverage. Under the operational doctrine of the 474th Golan Brigade, this defensive array allows troops to focus on neutralizing individual threats, whether from lone terrorists or armed gunmen.
A New Security Paradigm
Alongside engineering efforts, the IDF has established control within the security zone beyond the border, where forces move freely through Syrian villages. Drawing lessons from the October 7 conflict, the new generation of command has abandoned traditional assumptions about enemy intent. "We no longer define our defensive response based on 'who' the enemy is—whether it is Hezbollah, the Syrian army, or a jihadist group," the senior officer explains. "The only question is the enemy's capabilities. This space is a playground for terrorist organizations and militias. Any civilian or shepherd in the area could be armed and pose a threat."
In the town of Breika, located 1.5 kilometers from the border, the scars of years of conflict remain visible in the form of dilapidated houses and bullet-riddled walls. Following the collapse of the Assad regime in late 2024, the IDF took control of the buffer zone, effectively managing the defense of the area.
Operational Challenges
The 474th Brigade currently maintains nine company-sized outposts, patrolling areas populated by Sunni civilians who are often hostile to Israel. Operational friction is common; in late June, brigade forces were fired upon in the Abadin area of the Daraa district following a stone-throwing incident. The troops returned fire, supported by mortar strikes and an Air Force combat helicopter. No IDF casualties were reported.
"In villages like Abadin, we operate primarily at night," the senior officer notes. "We are not afraid of being seen or encountering locals. However, our primary goal remains the prevention of hostile entrenchment while being careful not to disrupt the civilian routine."
