A photo showing an Israeli soldier desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary in Lebanon has gone viral on social media. Following the incident, the Israeli army announced that an official investigation has been launched, as reported by Al Jazeera.
It is reported that the army has taken a "serious view" of the incident and promised that appropriate measures will be taken against the soldier. The photo was taken several weeks ago in the Christian village of Debel, Lebanon, and gained traction on the internet on May 6. The image shows an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the statue's mouth while smoking himself.
In April, reports also emerged that an Israeli soldier had struck a statue of Jesus with a hammer in the same village. The soldier who damaged the statue and his colleague who filmed it were removed from combat duties and sentenced to 30 days in detention.
It is also reported that Israeli forces destroyed solar panels in Debel using bulldozers and caused damage to houses, roads, and olive trees.
These events occur as Israel intensifies its attacks on Beirut and other parts of Lebanon, justifying these actions as operations against Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. At the same time, it is noted that Israeli troops continue to take control of several areas in southern Lebanon and destroy villages.
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