Viral Sensation: Israeli Soldier Smashes Jesus Statue's Head with Sledgehammer

A video of an Israeli soldier in Lebanon smashing a statue of Jesus Christ has gone viral. The Israeli soldier used a sledgehammer to strike the head of the Jesus statue that had fallen from the cross in the Christian village of Debl in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel. The Debl municipal government stated that the statue is indeed located in the village. It remains unconfirmed whether the statue has been genuinely damaged or not. Nevertheless, in an AFP update on Monday (20/4/2026), Israel has confirmed that the image is authentic. The Israeli military also stated that they view the incident “very seriously” and described the soldier’s behaviour as “completely inconsistent with the values expected of its troops”. “Following an initial examination regarding the photo published today of an IDF soldier damaging a Christian symbol, it is confirmed that the photo depicts an IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon,” they said. “The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being handled through the chain of command,” the military added. “Appropriate action will be taken against those involved,” it stated, but provided no further details, adding that they are working with the community to return the statue to its place. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March when Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in support of Iran. Israel responded with massive strikes across the country and an invasion of the south. Israeli forces remain in the area despite a ceasefire between the two countries having been in effect since Friday.