IDF finds possible belongings of soldier missing since 1982 Syria battle

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday that it has discovered new findings, believed to be the personal belongings of Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, who has been missing since the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yacoub during the First Lebanon War. The military stated the items were recovered during a special operation based on intelligence gathered in recent months, though no details regarding the location were provided. The IDF clarified that the findings are not the remains of Katz, but are personal items currently being inspected by his family. The 1982 battle in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley between the IDF and the Syrian army resulted in 21 Israeli fatalities and over 30 injuries. Katz went missing alongside Sgt. First Class Zachary Baumel and Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman. Baumel’s remains were recovered with Russian assistance in 2019, while Feldman’s remains were recovered by Mossad agents in May 2025.