Israel recovers body of soldier missing since 1982 war in Lebanon

Israel has recovered the remains of a soldier who had been missing since the 1982 war in Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday after a joint operation by Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and the army.

The soldier Zvi Feldman was among several who died in a battle near the Lebanese village of Sultan Yacoub and had been missing ever since. The Israeli army announced that Feldman’s body had been found “in the heart of Syria” and brought to Israel.

The body of a second soldier, who had also been killed at the time, had been handed over six years ago. At the time, Russia had helped Israel in the search for the soldier’s remains.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the remains were discovered by Russian special forces during an operation in Syria. Israel later released two Syrian prisoners, apparently in return for handing over the body.