Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 19, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, April 19, 2026
IDF reviewing image of soldier destroying Jesus statue in Lebanon
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleStav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
The IDF says it is examining the authenticity of a photo circulating online that appears to show a soldier in Lebanon smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer.
“If this is indeed a real, recent picture, these actions do not align with the IDF’s values and the behavior expected of IDF soldiers,” IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani writes on X, adding that the incident will be “investigated thoroughly and in depth,” with further steps taken based on the findings.
Lebanon |
An Israeli soldier smashing the head of a Jesus Christ statue during operations in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/Sj1m16tj9q
— Younis Tirawi | يونس (@ytirawi) April 19, 2026
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