A photograph shows a soldier hitting the statue with what appears to be an axe or sledgehammer. Israeli authorities confirmed the authenticity of the photograph. The incident occurred in Debel, a Christian village in southern Lebanon.
Two Israeli soldiers have been arrested for the desecration, according to multiple reports. The Israel Defense Forces said the soldier who hit the statue and the soldier who photographed it will spend 30 days in military detention. They will be removed from combat duty following an inquiry.
Six soldiers who were present and failed to report the act will be dealt with separately, the Israeli military stated. The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command.
The IDF expresses deep regret over the incident and emphasizes its operations in Lebanon are directed solely against Hezbollah and other terrorist groups, not against Lebanese civilians. The IDF is working to assist the community in restoring the statue.
The incident comes amid a 10-day U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Israel invaded southern Lebanon and has attacked the country from the air after strikes by Hezbollah militants.
Residents had largely remained in the village throughout the Israeli campaign in southern Lebanon, according to local sources. A local page from Debel mentioned that the statue belonged to them.
The photograph was first posted on social media by Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi, according to major media outlets. The exact identity and motive of the soldier or soldiers involved in the desecration remain unclear.
Conflicting reports exist about the number of soldiers directly involved in the desecration, with some stating one Israeli soldier desecrated the statue while others report two Israeli soldiers were arrested for decapitating the statue. This discrepancy affects the scale of the incident and the accountability measures, with implications for the severity of disciplinary actions. Additionally, the nature of the desecration is disputed, with some sources saying the soldier smashed the face of the statue and others claiming the soldier decapitated the statue, a discrepancy that could influence perceptions of intent and severity. Whether the desecration was an isolated act or part of a broader pattern of behavior by Israeli troops in Lebanon is also unknown.
The Israeli operation has displaced more than 1 million people and killed nearly 2,300, according to Lebanese officials.
The potential impact of this incident on interfaith relations and the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is uncertain. The current status of the statue restoration and timeline for completion are unclear, as are the specific disciplinary measures beyond detention for the soldiers involved.