The Israeli military has sentenced two soldiers to 30 days in military detention for damaging a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon.
The soldier who struck the statue with a sledgehammer and the soldier who photographed the act have both been removed from combat duty. Six other soldiers who were present but did not intervene or report the incident have been summoned for questioning and may face additional measures.
The incident occurred in the Christian village of Debel, a predominantly Maronite Christian town located about six kilometres from the Israeli border. An image of the soldier hitting the head of a statue of a crucified Jesus that had fallen from its cross spread widely on social media, prompting international condemnation.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was "stunned and saddened" by the incident and condemned the act in the strongest terms. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar described the act as "grave and disgraceful".
Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir called the soldiers' conduct unacceptable and a moral failure that contradicts the values expected of Israeli troops. The military said the soldiers' behaviour deviated completely from its orders and values.
The military said it has replaced the damaged statue with a new one in coordination with the local community. It expressed deep regret over the incident and said its operations in Lebanon are directed against Hezbollah and other armed groups, not against Lebanese civilians.
The statue is located in one of the few villages in southern Lebanon where residents remained during Israeli military operations against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia. Debel is among dozens of villages in south Lebanon now under effective Israeli control.
The incident occurred days into a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that began on April 18. Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon despite the truce.
Such military detention for misconduct is relatively rare in the Israeli military, according to rights groups. A 2025 report found that 88 percent of cases of alleged misconduct by Israeli forces in Gaza and the West Bank had been closed or left unresolved.
A military investigation found that the soldiers had been given instructions on conduct around religious sites before entering the area, and those procedures will be reinforced again following the incident.
The image was initially posted by a Palestinian reporter who has also shared photos of alleged misconduct by Israeli soldiers in Gaza.