Beirut: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed the authenticity of a viral image showing an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon, triggering widespread outrage.
The photograph, which has garnered more than 6.8 million views on X, shows a soldier striking the head of a crucified Jesus statue during military operations.
In a statement issued on Monday, April 20, the military said that “following the completion of an initial examination”, it had determined the image depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon.
The IDF said it views the incident with “great severity” and stressed that the soldier’s conduct is “wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops”.
It said the case is being investigated by its Northern Command and is being addressed through the chain of command.
“Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings,” the statement said.The military added that it is working with the local community to restore the statue.
The statue is believed to be located in Debl, a Christian-majority village near the Israel-Lebanon border. The extent of the damage has not been officially confirmed.
The IDF said its operations in southern Lebanon are aimed at dismantling infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and reiterated that it has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious sites and symbols.
Netanyahu condemns act, orders strict action
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened” by the incident and condemned the act.
He said military authorities are conducting a criminal probe and that “appropriately harsh disciplinary action” will be taken against those responsible.
Netanyahu added that Israel upholds religious tolerance and expressed regret over the incident and any offence caused to Christians.
Foreign minister issues apology
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the act as “grave and disgraceful” and issued an apology to Christians.
He said the incident does not reflect Israel’s values and expressed confidence that strict measures would follow.
Backlash and wider concerns
The incident has prompted criticism from Palestinian lawmakers and renewed scrutiny over reported attacks on religious sites.
According to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, dozens of mosques in the occupied West Bank were vandalised over the past year. Separately, the Religious Freedom Data Center documented more than 200 incidents targeting Christians between January 2024 and September 2025.
Many of these incidents reportedly occurred in Jerusalem’s Old City and included harassment, vandalism and assaults.
