A wheat field in Rayak, with the Anti-Lebanon mountain range in the background, July 2, 2025. (Credit: Ali Baalbaky/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — The remains of Yehuda Katz, an Israeli soldier killed during the 1982 invasion of Lebanon and the last soldier missing from the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, have reportedly been located, according to Ynet news and sources close to the matter.
Israeli army representatives are informing Katz’s family about the discovery, the site reported. The news has been widely reported in the Israeli press, but the army has not yet officially confirmed that the remains belong to Katz.
Sultan Yacoub is a village in the western Bekaa, about seven kilometers from the Syrian border. The battle took place on June 10 and 11, 1982, between Israeli and Syrian forces. It ended in a tactical setback for Israel after an armored force was trapped and shelled by Syrian troops.
About 20 Israeli soldiers were killed and dozens wounded, while several went missing. Efforts to locate their remains have continued for decades.
The remains of two other missing soldiers, Zachary Baumel and Zvi Feldman, were found in 2019 and 2025, respectively, according to Israeli media.
