Former Mossad Official Explains Ron Arad's Disappearance
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
A former senior Mossad official, Igra, stated that Israel lost contact with missing airman Ron Arad on May 4, 1988, in Lebanon when his guards left him during an operation. For years, intelligence believed Arad was transferred to Iran, but recent assessments suggest otherwise. Despite investigations, including in Syria, Arad has not been found, leaving his 40-year disappearance a mystery.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Former Mossad official Igra says Israel lost contact with Ron Arad on May 4, 1988, in Lebanon.
- Arad's guards reportedly left him to fight, and he vanished when they returned.
- Intelligence previously believed Arad was transferred to Iran for two decades.
- Recent Israeli operations have cast doubt on the Iran transfer theory.
- Investigations in Syria have failed to locate Arad's remains.
- Arad's 40-year disappearance remains an unsolved mystery.
A former senior Mossad official, identified as Igra, has shed new light on the disappearance of missing airman Ron Arad, suggesting that Israel lost contact with him on May 4, 1988, during an operation in Lebanon. According to Igra, Arad's guards left him to engage in combat with Israeli forces, and upon their return, Arad was no longer present. "At that moment, the State of Israel lost the thread connecting to Ron," Igra stated.
For approximately two decades, a prevailing intelligence assessment held that Arad had been transferred to Iran. This belief was reportedly based on a source claiming to have seen him in Iran and the interrogation of Dirani, who was held in Israel and was convinced the Iranians had "stolen his merchandise." Igra suggested that if Arad had been in Iranian hands, a deal could have been struck, noting that "if they had merchandise, they would negotiate" and that Israel possessed significant leverage, including funds from the Civil Administration.
However, Igra indicated that recent years have brought a shift in this understanding. Following a series of Israeli operations, including those targeting Iran, it has become "quite clear that this is not the story." Recent foreign publications suggest Israel has investigated a site in Syria, identified by the owner of a building there, as a potential burial location for Arad.
Despite these efforts, Arad has not been found, leaving his case a mystery spanning four decades. Igra emphasized that intelligence work is ongoing and that Israel has made every effort to bring Arad home, but ultimately failed due to an "esoteric event" at the moment of his disappearance. He asserted that Israel possesses the capability to engage with any relevant parties, such as generals, if necessary for information.
The disappearance of Ron Arad, an Israeli airman, occurred in Lebanon in 1986. His family has been actively seeking information about his fate for years.
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