Remains of Yehuda Katz, who went missing in First Lebanon War, are returned to Israel — IDF

The remains of Sgt. First Class Yehuda Katz, who went missing in the First Lebanon War’s battle of Sultan Yacoub in 1982, have been returned to Israel, 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, while 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. Feldman’s remains were recovered by personnel of the Mossad spy agency in May 2025.

In a statement, the IDF says that in an operation led by the Military Intelligence Directorate, in coordination with the Mossad, Katz’s bones were located and brought to Israel for burial.

The bones were taken for identification and were confirmed to belong to Katz.

Earlier, the military had said new findings thought to be related to Katz had been found overnight.