A photograph appearing to show an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette into the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon has triggered widespread backlash online.
The image reportedly emerged on Wednesday and was allegedly taken in the predominantly Christian village of Dibil near the Israeli border.
By RT
According to reports, the photograph was uploaded to social media by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel.
In a statement provided to RT, the IDF said it viewed the incident “with utmost severity” and described the soldier’s conduct as behavior that “completely deviates” from military values.
The military added that the photograph had been taken several weeks earlier and stated that disciplinary “command measures” would follow an official investigation.
The IDF also stressed that it respects all holy sites and religious symbols.
Previous incidents
The incident follows earlier reports involving alleged damage to Christian religious sites during Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon.
In April, footage circulated online showing an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Jesus Christ in the same village with a large mallet.
Images later showed the face of the crucifix destroyed alongside the biblical quote:
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
The quote was reportedly shared on the town’s official social media page.
IDF withdraws and jails soldiers for smashing statue of Jesus Christ
Following public backlash, the IDF later confirmed that two soldiers involved in the earlier incident had been removed from combat duty and jailed for 30 days after the footage went viral.
Concerns from Christian communities
Christian communities in the region have raised concerns in recent years regarding incidents involving churches and religious sites during ongoing conflicts.
In 2023, an Israeli strike in Gaza hit a building adjacent to the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, one of the oldest Christian sites in Gaza, reportedly killing at least 18 people.
In 2025, damage from Israeli tank shelling reportedly struck Gaza’s Holy Family Church, the territory’s only Catholic parish, killing three people.
Last month, a Catholic nun was reportedly assaulted in Jerusalem in what church representatives described as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Christians in the Holy Land.
Ongoing conflict in Lebanon
Lebanese authorities say more than 2,700 people have been killed and approximately 1.2 million displaced since Israel launched military operations in Lebanon on March 2 amid the broader regional conflict involving Iran and Hezbollah.
Although a US-mediated ceasefire began on April 16 and was later extended into mid-May, Israeli military activity has reportedly continued north of the Litani River as part of an expanded buffer zone operation.