Retired Brigadier General Tzuri Shagai, Renowned Paratrooper Commander, Dies at 92

Retired Brigadier General Tzuri Shagai, a leading commander in the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade and famed for guiding Kurdish rebels to historic victories against the Iraqi army, passed away at the age of 92. Born in Herzliya and raised in the moshav Ein Vered, Shagai had a distinguished military career spanning from the reprisal operations of the 1950s through the Yom Kippur War and secret overseas missions.

During his deployment to Kurdistan, Shagai assisted Kurdish fighters in their struggle against the Iraqi regime by developing a specialized combat doctrine tailored to their nature. He extensively trained snipers and also prepared two assault battalions in Israel near Daliyat al-Karmel. Shagai's military legacy is marked by his innovative tactics and leadership in unconventional warfare.

He is survived by his wife, Tzippa, and their only son, Yair, who worked for many years as a photojournalist for ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth.