Michael Katz was critically wounded on April 5 when an Iranian missile struck his home in Haifa. After more than three months of treatment at Rambam Hospital, The Times of Israel reports that the 82-year-old man has died. He is survived by his wife, sons, and grandchildren. At the same time, Iran and the United States continue to clash over the Strait of Hormuz, with the U.S. reimposing its blockade while Iran continues to strike U.S. assets in Gulf nations.
“From now on, I will live my life as half a human being, after 55 years of marriage,” Nina Katz mourned in a statement distributed by the municipality.
“It will not be easy, and I will forever miss the completeness that my beloved Michael brought to our life together, to our children and grandchildren,” she said. “Michael was a great person to be around, a man who loved life and knew how to enjoy it.”
“Everyone who met him fell in love with him immediately,” Katz added. “He will be missed not only by us, but also by everyone who knew him.”
Speaking to the Ynet news site, Yoav Katz recalled his father as “a man of the world who consumed art and culture in every free moment and visited dozens of countries around the world.”
An Israeli Air Force probe found that the ballistic missile that was fired at Haifa on April 5 was not intercepted because it broke up in the air and its expected trajectory changed, causing the interceptors to miss the target.
Katz is remembered for his decades of work at Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, where he helped develop technologies that enhanced Israel’s security. His funeral will take place tomorrow in his hometown. With his death, the number of Israeli civilians killed by Iranian missiles during Operation Roaring Lion has risen to 22.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is increasing its presence in the Strait of Hormuz and intensifying strikes on Iranian military targets. U.S. President Donald Trump is urging the regime to reach an agreement and has threatened to target energy infrastructure if Iran continues attacking neighboring countries and commercial shipping in the strait.
The Fellowship and our supporters mourn with the people of Israel and pray for the Katz family. We also pray for the protection and resolve of the U.S. armed forces as tensions in the region continue to escalate.
