Photo shows Israeli soldier desecrating Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon

The Israeli military launched an investigation after a photograph circulated online Wednesday showing a soldier placing a cigarette into the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in the Christian-majority village of Debel, southern Lebanon, taken several weeks prior. The military stated it viewed the incident "gravely" and promised action against the soldier, marking the latest in a series of documented incidents involving Israeli troops desecrating religious sites and destroying property in southern Lebanon.