The Israeli military has confirmed a photograph widely circulating online showing an Israeli soldier smashing a statue of Jesus Christ is real, saying it views the incident with “great severity.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the “soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops,” and an investigation is underway.
The soldier has not been identified and it is not clear when the image was taken.
The photograph was captured in southern Lebanon, according to the IDF, where Israeli soldiers have for weeks conducted ground operations against Iran-backed militant and political group, Hezbollah, alongside airstrikes on the country.
A 10-day ceasefire came into effect at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, but Israeli soldiers have remained roughly six miles into southern Lebanon as part of what Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called a “security zone” to protect northern Israel.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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