Last missing IDF soldier from 1982 Lebanon War battle returned to Israel after 44 years
IDF and Mossad say Yehuda Katz’s remains were located through a decades-long intelligence effort and formally identified in Israel, completing the return of all soldiers missing from the Battle of Sultan Yacoub
In a momentous development on Tuesday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that the remains of Staff Sgt. Yehuda Yekutiel Katz, who had been missing since the Battle of Sultan Yacoub during the 1982 Lebanon War, had been returned to Israel after four decades. The 44-year-old Armored Corps soldier perished in combat on June 11, 1982, and his fate remained unknown until now.
The IDF confirmed that Katz's remains were identified and brought home through a joint operation involving Military Intelligence and Mossad. His family had been kept informed of the painstaking efforts to locate and return him over the years. Katz's parents, Sarah and Yosef Katz, had passed away before the decades-long search was finally completed.
The IDF attributed the recovery to precise intelligence gathered over more than four decades, involving various intelligence and operational units within the government and military. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized the significance of Katz's return, stating that their duty to fallen soldiers remains steadfast. The IDF and Mossad expressed condolences to Katz's family and pledged to continue efforts to locate and return any remaining missing Israelis.
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