Remains of Yehuda Katz, IDF soldier who went missing in 1982 battle, returned to Israel

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday that the remains of Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, who went missing during the 1982 Battle of Sultan Yacoub in the First Lebanon War, have been returned to Israel. The battle, which took place 44 years ago between the IDF and the Syrian army in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley, resulted in the deaths of 21 Israeli servicemen and left over 30 injured. Katz, a tank soldier, had been missing since the engagement. The IDF stated that the remains were located and brought to Israel following a special operation led by the Military Intelligence Directorate in coordination with the Mossad. While no specific details regarding the location of the discovery were provided, the military noted that the recovery was the result of over four decades of continuous intelligence and operational efforts. Previously, the remains of Sgt. First Class Zachary Baumel were recovered with Russian assistance in 2019, and those of Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman were recovered by Mossad agents in May 2025. Israeli officials, including the IDF Chief of Staff, the Prime Minister, and the President, hailed the return of Katz's remains as the end of a decades-long wait and a fulfillment of the state's moral commitment to bring home its missing soldiers.