The Israeli military said on Tuesday that two soldiers will be removed from combat duty and face 30 days of detention for their involvement in vandalising a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon.
An image widely circulated on social media appeared to show a soldier striking the head of a fallen Jesus Christ statue with a sledgehammer. The incident sparked outrage and condemnation.
In a statement, the Israeli army said the soldier who carried out the act and another who photographed it would be punished, while additional troops present at the scene have been summoned for further review that could lead to additional disciplinary measures.
It said the damaged statue had been replaced by Israeli troops.
The incident took place in the Lebanese Christian village of Debel, where a soldier vandalised a religious symbol as another documented the act. Six other soldiers failed to intervene or report the incident, in what the military said was a clear breach of its orders and values.
The army expressed "deep regret" over the incident. It said its operations are directed at militant groups and not civilians or religious sites.
It added that procedures governing conduct around religious institutions have been reinforced, while the chief of staff condemned the incident as unacceptable and inconsistent with the army’s values.
Despite such assurances, Israeli forces have repeatedly attacked religious sites, including mosques and churches, as well as religious figures, in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Israel has also routinely barred worshippers from entering holy sites, most recently closing Al Aqsa Mosque and preventing Easter celebrations from taking place in Jerusalem.
The Israeli military launched an offensive in Lebanon on March 2 after the Iran-backed Hezbollah resumed attacks on Israel in support of Iran. It reignited the conflict between the sides only 15 months after their last major war.
A two-week ceasefire in the Iran war is set to expire early on Wednesday. Israel and Lebanon announced a separate 10-day ceasefire last week, which paved the way for Iran's announcement that it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The fighting has killed more than 2,000 people in Lebanon and displaced about 1.2 million, Lebanese authorities said. Attacks by Hezbollah have killed two Israeli civilians, and 13 Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon since March 2, Israeli figures show.
