Israel Confirms It Is Investigating Photo Showing Soldier Desecrating Virgin Mary Statue in Lebanon

An image of an Israeli soldier holding a lit cigarette to the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in the Lebanese town of Dibil has forced the IDF to open an investigation, confirming the photo’s authenticity while insisting the act violates its values.

The incident, which surfaced on social media this week, occurred in a Christian village the IDF seized as part of its campaign to carve out a buffer zone against Hezbollah. Over a million Lebanese, including many indigenous Christians, have been displaced. Some communities refused IDF evacuation orders, citing Pope Leo XIV’s December appeal not to abandon their homelands.

Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told reporters the photo was taken several weeks ago, not this month. He pledged disciplinary measures once the probe concludes. The statement stressed that the soldier’s behavior is “completely contrary to the values expected of its personnel” and that the army “respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as the holy sites and religious symbols of all religions.”