#Lebanon – A photo has circulated widely on social media on May 6, 2026, showing an Israeli soldier in the Christian village of Debel, southern Lebanon. The image depicts the soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary while smoking another cigarette himself. This act has been widely described as desecration or vandalism of a religious symbol.
The photo was reportedly taken several weeks earlier but only shared publicly on May 6. Debel is the same village where, in mid-April 2026, another Israeli soldier was photographed smashing a statue of Jesus on a crucifix with a sledgehammer. The involved soldier and the one who photographed it were removed from combat duty and each sentenced to 30 days in military detention. The IDF pledged to help restore the damaged statue, and later lied that they fulfilled this promise when they took credit for UN peacekeepers restoring the statue.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the authenticity of the latest image and stated they were investigating the incident. They described the soldier’s conduct as deviating from expected values and said he will face disciplinary measures. The military emphasized that it respects freedom of religion, holy sites, and religious symbols of all faiths, and has no intention of harming civilian or religious infrastructure. Last week, the IDF was filmed in southern Lebanon demolishing a monastery and school, which the IDF responded to with ignorance that the structure was a Christian monastery.
Debel is one of the few Christian villages in southern Lebanon where residents have remained during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, which escalated after Hezbollah’s attacks linked to the broader regional tensions. Israeli forces have operated in the area, and continue to remain occupying the area since the ceasefire last month.
These incidents fit into a pattern of reported cases where Israeli soldiers have been filmed or photographed damaging property, looting, or disrespecting sites in Lebanon, and occasionally elsewhere, often shared by the troops themselves. Critics highlight them as evidence of broader disrespect toward Christian symbols, while the IDF treats them as isolated violations.
The IDF has consistently condemned such acts when verified and pursued disciplinary action. Despite IDF denial of systemic persecution towards Christians in their war against radical Shia Islamists, numerous instances of anti-Christian attacks have occurred since 2024, including the destruction of holy sites and killing of Christians, including Eastern Catholic priests. Lebanon is home to the largest minority of Christians in the entirety of the Middle East represented in almost 40% of the population.
Update: As of May 11th, 2026, both the Israeli soldier that was pictured in the above photo, and the solider who took the photo were sentenced to time in military prison for their sacrilegious actions. The soldier who took the photo was sentenced to 14 days, while the soldier who was photographed was sentenced to 21 days. The IDF commented that the actions committed were a violation of their standards, respect for other religions, and that they would commit to restoring the statue.
Image: The image circulating on social media of an Israeli soldier desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary.
