Israeli Soldier Sparks Outrage With Cigarette Photo at Virgin Mary Statue

07/05/2026

TEL AVIV, May 7: The Israeli military has opened an investigation after a photo surfaced showing a soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon, sparking outrage on social media.

The image, widely shared on Wednesday, appears to show an Israeli soldier standing with his arm around the revered Christian figure while holding a cigarette to the statue’s mouth.

Responding to questions about the photo, the Israeli military said it viewed the incident with “utmost severity” and stressed that the soldier’s conduct was unacceptable.

“The conduct of the soldier completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel,” the military said in a statement.

It added that the incident would be investigated and that command measures would be taken against the soldier based on the findings.

According to an initial review by the military, the photo was taken several weeks ago.

The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Israeli soldiers’ conduct in southern Lebanon. In recent weeks, the military has faced criticism over separate incidents involving Christian statues and religious symbols in the area.