IDF soldier sparks outrage after viral Virgin Mary statue photo in Lebanon

A photo circulating on social media reportedly shows a soldier placing a cigarette into the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in a Christian village in southern Lebanon. The image was taken in Debel, the same village where another soldier was photographed last month smashing a statue of Jesus. The Israeli military said it is reviewing the incident but did not provide further immediate details.

In April 2025, a soldier operating in Debel was seen in a photo destroying a statue of Jesus with a hammer, sparking widespread condemnation from Christian communities. Both the soldier involved and the one who documented the act were removed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days in prison. Following the incident, the Israeli military attempted to install a more ornate replacement for the damaged statue. However, residents chose instead to reinstall a replica identical to the original.

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“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 IDF had said in the statement. “The IDF views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.” The following week, another controversy emerged in Debel after a video surfaced showing Israeli soldiers destroying civilian solar panels in the area.

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