In a statement on Monday, the Israeli military confirmed the image was authentic after it circulated online, where it drew more than five million views on X.
A widely shared photograph showing an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon has sparked widespread outrage.
In a statement on Monday, the Israeli military confirmed the image was authentic after it circulated online, where it drew more than five million views on X.
According to the military, an initial review found the photo showed a soldier “operating in southern Lebanon,” where Israel launched a ground offensive last month alongside airstrikes amid its joint conflict with the United States against Iran.
The military said an investigation has been opened and that “appropriate measures will be taken” based on its findings.
Reacting on social media, Ayman Odeh, a Palestinian member of Israel’s parliament, wrote sarcastically that people would be waiting to hear claims that “the soldier felt threatened by Jesus.”
Another Palestinian lawmaker, Ahmad Tibi, criticised what he described as a pattern of impunity, alleging that those responsible for attacks on mosques and churches in Gaza and harassment of Christian clergy in Jerusalem face no consequences.
He also referenced controversies involving Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV, suggesting such actions reflect growing disrespect toward religious figures.
The statue, which activists, academics, and writers say was desecrated, was located on the outskirts of Debl, a village in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.
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