Israel has recovered the remains of a soldier killed in the 1982 Lebanon War, who had been missing ever since.
Soldier Zvi Feldman disappeared during a battle between Israeli and Syrian forces near Sultan Yakub alongside several other Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli military announced that Feldman’s body was found “in the heart of Syria” and has been returned to Israel. He was identified using DNA tests. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed that the operation was a joint effort by the Mossad intelligence agency and the military, and he was present when the family was informed.
According to the Israeli news portal Ynet, Mossad operatives risked their lives to locate Feldman’s body. Over five months, these non-Israeli operatives conducted clandestine digs at a guarded cemetery far from Israel’s border, beginning before the fall of the Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad. The exact location of the cemetery was not revealed. “They brought back artefacts, and after a DNA test, we knew we were in the right place,” said an unnamed individual involved in the mission.
The discovery of Feldman’s uniform played a significant role in the investigation. Six years ago, the body of another soldier killed in the same conflict was returned. Russia had assisted Israel in locating the remains of this soldier. According to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, Russian special forces found the remains during an operation in Syria. Subsequently, Israel released two Syrian prisoners, apparently in exchange for the body.
