Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 6, 2026
IDF soldier photographed putting cigarette into mouth of Virgin Mary statue in Lebanese Christian village
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
A soldier places a cigarette into the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, southern Lebanon, in a photo circulated online on May 6, 2026. (Used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
A photo posted to social media shows a soldier placing a cigarette into the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary, in a Christian village in southern Lebanon.
The photo was taken in the village of Debel, where a soldier smashed a statue of Jesus last month.
The IDF says it is looking into the photo, without immediately commenting further.
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