Mali Yahalomi
Mali Yahalomi is an Israeli citizen whose disappearance in Vienna in August 2026 sparked a global search operation. Initially feared to be a security-related abduction, the case concluded when she and her daughter were located alive in South America following a planned, voluntary departure.
Mali Yahalomi, 50, became the center of an intensive international missing persons investigation in August 2026. The case began on August 7, when she and her daughter, Liel Yahalomi (23), were reported missing while visiting Vienna, Austria. Given the heightened global threat environment for Israelis, the disappearance initially triggered high-priority involvement from the Mossad and Shin Bet, alongside Austrian law enforcement, under the suspicion of a nationalistic or terror-related motive.
As the investigation progressed, the working assumption shifted toward a voluntary disappearance. Security footage from Vienna showed the pair leaving their apartment alone with personal belongings, and investigators discovered that location data on their mobile devices had been intentionally deleted. Further evidence revealed a sophisticated plan to evade tracking, including the purchase of alternative burner phones and the withdrawal of approximately €14,000 in cash prior to their departure.
On Friday, August 14, the Israel Police officially confirmed that Mali and Liel had been located alive in South America. The search operation, led by the Lahav 433 unit and the Intelligence Division under the direct guidance of Commissioner Danny Levy, involved coordination with Europol and multiple foreign police agencies. Reports indicate the pair traveled by train from Austria to Germany before boarding a flight to Argentina. While the immediate security concerns were dismissed, the case highlighted the rapid mobilization of Israeli state resources to protect and locate citizens abroad.