Overview
- Israel’s military opened an inquiry after a photo from the Lebanese village of Debel showed a soldier placing a cigarette in a Virgin Mary statue, with the image surfacing Wednesday.
- An initial review found the photo was taken several weeks earlier in Debel, a Christian-majority village near the Israeli border.
- The army says it identified the soldier and plans disciplinary action following the investigation, calling the conduct a grave deviation from its values.
- The case follows an April video from the same village showing a soldier smashing a Jesus statue, which drew a condemnation from the prime minister’s office and 30-day jail terms for two troops.
- Reports from Debel describe broader damage to civilian infrastructure during Israeli operations, including excavators tearing out solar panels that power the town’s water system, while fighting has expanded across southern Lebanon and into Beirut.