The Israeli military is investigating a soldier photographed swinging a sledgehammer at a statue of Jesus in Debl, a Christian village in southern Lebanon. The military confirmed the photograph is authentic and the statue was damaged. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed regret for any hurt caused to believers, vowing the army would take harsh disciplinary action.

The incident occurred in a village where residents fled about a month ago during Israel's offensive. Mayor Akl Naddaf urged investigators to examine the destruction of homes and breaking of statues in the area. Lebanon has the largest proportion of Christians of any country in the Middle East.

Christian leaders in Israel expressed shock at the image, which went viral Sunday. Farid Jubran of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem called it heartbreaking—an act of aggression against a symbol revered by Christians worldwide. A recent report documented 155 incidents of harassment or violence against Christians in Israel in 2025, including 61 physical attacks on people and 52 attacks on church properties.