Netanyahu vows punishment for Israeli soldier shown hitting Jesus statue

World Netanyahu says Israeli soldier pictured hitting Jesus statue in Lebanon will face "harsh disciplinary action" By Frank Andrews Frank Andrews Journalist Frank Andrews is a CBS News journalist based in London. Read Full Bio Frank Andrews April 20, 2026 / 9:51 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that he was "stunned and saddened" by a photo of an Israeli soldier striking a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon."I condemn the act in the strongest terms," Netanyahu wrote in a post on X, adding that military authorities would take "harsh disciplinary action against the offender.""We express regret for the incident and for any hurt this has caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world," the Israeli leader said in his post. A woman checks a social media post on her mobile phone featuring an image that appears to show an Israeli soldier hitting a statue of Jesus Christ in the southern Lebanese Christian village of Debl, in Beirut on April 20, 2026. Getty Confirming the authenticity of the photo, which spread quickly on social media, the Israel Defense Forces said earlier Monday in a post on X that it was taking the incident with "great severity," adding that the "soldier's conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops."The incident is being investigated by the Israeli Northern Command and is currently being "addressed through the chain of command," the military added.It said "appropriate measures will be taken against those involved" but provide any further detail.The Israel army said it was working with the community in Lebanon to "restore the statue to its place," adding that it is "operating to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure established by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and has no intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or religious symbols." According to local media, the fallen statue was in the Ch...