Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 20, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 20, 2026
IDF says it identified soldier who smashed Jesus statue in Lebanon
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israeli soldier seen smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon has been identified by the IDF, according to the military.
The IDF has said that action would be taken against those involved in the incident in the Christian village of Debel.
Yesterday, after the photo circulated, the IDF said that it “views the incident with great severity and emphasizes that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops.”
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