The Israeli army admits that one of its soldiers smashed a statue of Christ in southern Lebanon

The Israeli military has confirmed the authenticity of a video showing one of its soldiers smashing a statue of Jesus inside the town of Deir Syrian in southern Lebanon, hours after Haaretz newspaper published  a report on the incident.

  The Israeli newspaper said that the incident was documented in a video showing the soldier smashing the statue inside the town, without knowing the exact circumstances or timing of the incident, and after the recording went viral, the army issued a statement in which it confirmed that the initial examination showed that the documentation was "real" and that the soldier was working within the forces deployed in southern Lebanon.

Documentary of a photographer embarrassing Israel

 The Israeli army claimed that the incident is under investigation by the Northern Command, and that it is being dealt with at the command and disciplinary levels, claiming that the necessary measures will be taken against the soldier and those involved according to the results of the investigation.

The statement claimed that the behavior shown in the video was "completely contrary to the values expected of the army soldiers," as it put it, noting that the leadership would work to "help the villagers return the statue to its place."

Temporary truce and hardline Israeli statements

The incident comes in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression on Lebanon since March 2, which has so far resulted in the death of 2,294 people and the injury of 7,544 others, in addition to more than one million displaced people, according to the latest Lebanese official data.

On the evening of Thursday,  April 16, US President Donald Trump announced  a 10-day ceasefire  after contacts with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and despite the truce, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz confirmed on Friday Tel Aviv's intention to continue controlling the areas occupied in southern Lebanon during the aggression.

In the same context, the Israeli army on Saturday spoke of what it called the "yellow line", an imaginary line south of the Litani River that defines the areas of deployment of its forces inside Lebanese territory.

What are the "yellow line" zones?

The "Yellow Line" in Lebanon refers to a new buffer zone created by the Israeli army in the south, and this line represents the geographical extent reached by Israeli forces and the villages they control on the ground, and aims to impose a new security reality that prevents the return of the Lebanese population to those areas.

The line extends within Lebanese territory and includes about 55 villages in southern Lebanon and extends in some points to reach the "third row line" of villages, such as the town of Rishaf in the central sector and Deir Syrian in the eastern sector. Especially after the violations that were recorded, from artillery shelling on Tal Nahas, the outskirts of Dermimas and Deir Syrian, to the massive bombings in Bint Jbeil, Muska, and Taybeh, and the launch of thermal balloons in some villages in the eastern sector.

Despite the timid return, the efforts of the Lebanese army and the National Authority for the Litani River continue to carry out the construction of a bridge of ferries over the riverbed in Tir Falseh, and to ensure the connection between the two banks of the river in order to facilitate the movement of returnees, after the reopening of the Qasimia Bridge and the Dibin-Marjayoun road.

It aims to impose a buffer zone that prevents "direct threats" to its forces, while continuing to destroy what it describes as "military infrastructure" within the zone even during periods of ceasefires, and it differs from other border terms in Lebanon, such as the Blue Line, drawn by the United Nations as the 2000 withdrawal line.

UN official: Israeli army "the most degenerate army"

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, said on Sunday, April 19, 2026, that the Israeli occupation army is "the most degenerate army."

Commenting on a video showing members of the occupation army abusing a Palestinian child, Albanese wrote, "I have seen enough to say with certainty: the Israeli army is the most degenerate army."

A few days ago, Albanese revealed that her life had become threatened and had even turned into something like a "roller coaster ride" since the publication of her report in which she accused the occupying power of committing genocide in Gaza.

In an interview with The Guardian, Albanese said she faced death threats and a constant sense of danger after accusing Israel of genocide.