Israeli troops smuggled herd of 250 goats from Syria to West Bank farms — report

IDF tells Israeli TV network that team commander was dismissed from service over incident and company commander reprimanded, while squad itself was suspended for significant period

By Nava Freiberg

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16 January 2026, 5:47 am

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Nava Freiberg is The Times of Israel's deputy diplomatic correspondent.

Illustrative: Goats and sheep run to their troughs in a hamlet in the South Hebron Hills, West Bank, May 17, 2024. (Maya Alleruzzo/AP)

A group of IDF soldiers operating in Syria two weeks ago stole a herd of some 250 goats and smuggled them into West Bank farmlands, Israeli television revealed Thursday, citing information obtained from law enforcement authorities.

A battalion from the Golan Brigade, operating in the Golan Heights, was conducting a mission inside Syrian territory when it identified the herd — belonging to Syrian farmers — and brought it into Israeli territory, according to Channel 12 news.

The goats were then reportedly loaded onto trucks that were apparently prepared in advance and transported to several farms in illegal outposts in the West Bank, where livestock grazing is common.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement to the network that as a result of the incident — which was not authorized in real time — the squad commander was dismissed from service, the company commander received a reprimand, and the squad itself was suspended for a significant period.

The incident came to light the morning after the herd was smuggled, when farmers in the Golan Heights spotted dozens of goats wandering along the road and reported it to the army, prompting an investigation. Searches were reportedly still being carried out for the goats, some 200 of which were believed to be roaming in Israel, unmarked and unvaccinated, while the remainder of the herd was scattered inside Syrian territory.

The IDF added that “the incident is known and is being handled by the relevant commanders.”

Illustrative: Israeli troops operate in the southern Syrian village of Beit Jinn, early November 28, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

Israeli forces have been deployed to nine posts inside southern Syria since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, mostly within the UN-patrolled buffer zone on the border between the countries.

Troops have been operating in areas up to around 15 kilometers (some nine miles) deep into Syria, aiming to capture weapons that Israel says could pose a threat to the country if they fall into the hands of “hostile forces.”

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report