Damascus, Syria – Israel has recovered the remains of an army sergeant missing since the 1982 Lebanon War, bringing closure to a decades-long national and familial mystery.
The body of Tsvi Feldman, a tank crewman who was killed in the Battle of Sultan Yacoub, was retrieved from Syria in a covert operation carried out by the Mossad intelligence agency and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday.
Feldman had been missing for 43 years, one of several Israeli soldiers unaccounted for after the fierce tank battle with Syrian forces during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. His remains were located and returned following what Israeli officials described as a complex and delicate mission.
Prime Minister Netanyahu personally visited Feldman’s family in Tel Aviv to deliver the news.
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“After 43 years of hope and relentless effort, Sergeant First Class Tsvi Feldman has returned home,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz. “My heart goes out to the Feldman family, who endured decades of uncertainty and pain.”
The operation is reminiscent of previous recoveries, including that of Zakaria Baumel, another soldier missing from the same battle whose remains were returned in 2019. Katz reaffirmed Israel’s continued commitment to recovering all missing soldiers, including Yehuda Katz.
“Bringing back our missing, whether living or deceased, is not only a national mission, it is a moral duty,” Katz added.
The 1982 Lebanon War, also known as the First Lebanon War, saw Israel enter Lebanon to expel Palestinian fighters. The Battle of Sultan Yacoub, in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley, became one of the war’s most haunting episodes for Israel, with several soldiers unaccounted for after intense combat.
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The circumstances of how Feldman’s body ended up in Syria have not been disclosed. Israeli authorities offered no comment on whether any third parties were involved in the transfer.
