Dairy cows killed as Hezbollah missiles rain down on Israeli farms
Israeli dairy farmers had to run for cover to their bunkers when a number of missiles fired by Hezbollah, in neighboring Lebanon, came crashing down on their milking parlors killing over 30 cows.
The missiles, allegedly destined for nearby military targets, hit several farms in Moshav Beit She’arim, a village situated in the valley of Israel, just 20 kilometers east of Haifa.
The local security council said that around 20 rockets were fired into the region. Some were shot down by Israeli security forces, but others hit the farms and open areas.
Farmers had to leave the cows in mid-milking and rush to the bomb shelters, whilst sending messages to their families, friends and neighbors urging them to evacuate their homes.
One farm belonging to 78-year-old Moshe Cohen bore the brunt of the attack which damaged his sheds, machinery, milking parlor as well as losing over 30 cows, half of his herd.
His neighbor, Lior Golan, also a dairy farmer, said it was a very tough night, as they tried to save the animals and run for cover.
Golan said, “It was a tough night that started with an alarm, and later, when I got up to milk the cows at 3.30 a.m., I had to run back and forth between the milking parlor and the shelter as more warnings were sounded.
“This happened twice, and just seconds after locking the shelter door, the boom came. It was not a pleasant experience at all. The damage to Moshe’s farm was extensive. Many cows were killed and some more had to subsequently be euthanized.”
WORKING TOGETHER
Friends and neighbors came together to help Moshe repair some of the damage and get him back up milking again, as did a number of agricultural companies.
Golan added: “It was a real demonstration of how the local community came together to help Moshe, repairing burst water pipes, helping feed the cows and bring food for the helpers,” he said.
Another neighboring dairy farmer Nathalie Roynik, who runs 120 cows on their farm with husband Eitan, says they also suffered some damage.
Nathalie, who is also a vet, said, “When Hezbollah attacked, their missile fell on the roof of Moshe’s dairy farm. His farm is situated less than 10 meters from our milking parlor. Our worker Rami was busy milking the cows when the missile hit.
“The missiles are filled with little lead balls that killed Moshe’s cows when the bomb exploded. We are very lucky no people were killed during the attack.
“We had some damage done to our houses and tractors as the blast blew the doors and windows out of the tractors, shattering the glass. Some of our cows received injuries as well.
“Being a farmer is not only a job but a way of life. We are attached to the animals and to the farm, where we work no matter what. We will continue our work, even under the threat of missiles, and hope for the best,” she said.
Most of the damage done by the Hezbollah missiles will be covered by financial compensation from the Israeli government. Moshe is currently searching for more cows to replace the ones he lost in the attack.