Jerusalem:

The Israeli military confirmed on Monday that an image circulating on social media, which depicts a soldier striking a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon, is authentic and involves one of its service members.

The photograph, which first appeared on Sunday, shows a soldier in the predominantly Christian village of Debel hitting the head of a statue of a crucified Jesus that had been removed from its cross and was leaning upside down. The village is located approximately four miles west of Bint Jbeil, an area Israeli forces have encircled during ongoing operations against Hezbollah.

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In a statement posted to its official X account, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it viewed the incident with "great severity" and characterised the act as "wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops."

"Following the completion of an initial examination regarding a photograph published earlier today of an IDF soldier harming a Christian symbol, it was determined that the photograph depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon," the military stated.

Local and Official Reaction

The Debel municipality confirmed the statue’s location to AFP but initially could not verify the extent of the damage. Maroun Nassif, the deputy head of the municipality, expressed outrage over the desecration.

"We certainly condemn this shameful act because it offends our religious feelings and is an attack on our sacred beliefs," Nassif told CNN.

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The IDF’s Northern Command has launched a formal investigation into the matter, which is currently being "addressed through the chain of command." While the military did not specify the exact disciplinary actions, it maintained that "appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings."

Additionally, the Israeli army stated it is collaborating with the local community to "restore the statue to its place."

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Regional Conflict Context

Lebanon became a central front in the broader Middle East war in early March after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with a large-scale aerial campaign and a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

Although a ceasefire between the two nations officially took effect on Friday, Israeli troops remain stationed in the south. Debel is one of approximately 55 Lebanese towns and villages currently under Israeli military occupation as forces continue to target what they describe as Hezbollah strongholds.

With inputs from AFP