Israeli Military Reveals Details of “New East” Project to Fortify Golan Border

Welat TV – Erbil

The Israeli military has revealed details of the “New East” project, an engineering defense plan developed over two years to establish a system of fortifications along the border in the Golan area, as part of a long-term military strategy in the region.

According to a report published by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Sunday, August 9, 2026, the Israeli military has completed around 80 percent of the trench-digging work, which stretches from the Majdal Shams area in the north to the border triangle with Jordan in the south.

The report said the system of trenches and earthworks is intended to slow any ground movement toward areas under Israeli control, while points that could allow forces to cross are monitored and covered by fire.

The implementation of the “New East” project has been delayed beyond its scheduled timetable due to the use of the same engineering equipment in Israeli military operations inside Lebanon, including the destruction of villages, infrastructure, and facilities that the Israeli military says are linked to “terrorist organizations.”

According to the report, the 474th “Golan” Brigade currently maintains a military strip inside Syrian territory, consisting of around nine company-sized positions, while its forces regularly move through villages, towns, and open areas.

The deployment follows the Israeli military’s incursion into the demilitarized zone established under the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, as well as the establishment of additional positions following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Damascus has called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the areas they recently entered.