IDF says it recovered possible belongings of Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, missing since 1982 battle

New findings thought to be related to Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, who went missing in the First Lebanon War’s battle of Sultan Yacoub in 1982, have been found, the military announces.

The battle, 44 years ago, was a skirmish between the IDF and the Syrian army in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley. It claimed the lives of 21 Israeli servicemen, and more than 30 were injured during it.

Katz, a tank soldier, went missing during the battle along with Sgt. First Class Zachary Baumel and Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman.

Baumel’s remains were recovered with Russian assistance and returned to Israel in 2019, and Feldman’s remains were recovered by Mossad agents in May 2025.

Overnight, a special operation was carried out by the IDF, based on intelligence obtained in recent months, during which new findings were located, according to the military. The findings are not Katz’s remains, but are believed to be personal belongings.

The findings have been handed to the family, who are inspecting them. The IDF is also investigating the findings, and only later will it publish a formal statement on the matter, once the family has completed their inspection.