Jerusalem: Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Monday apologized to Christians after an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldier damaged a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon. "The damaging of a Christian religious symbol by an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon is grave and disgraceful," Saar stated in a post on social media platform X. Saar also commended the IDF for condemning the incident and initiating an investigation, emphasizing that "this shameful action is completely contrary to our values." He added, "We apologize for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt."

According to Nam News Network, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed regret for the incident, acknowledging any distress it may have caused to believers in Lebanon and around the world. The Israeli military confirmed on social media that an "IDF soldier operating in southern Lebanon" was responsible for damaging a Christian symbol. This confirmation followed the circulation of a photograph earlier in the day depicting a man in Israeli uniform striking the face of a fallen figure of Jesus Christ with a hammer.

The military pledged to take appropriate measures against those involved and promised to assist the local community in restoring the crucifix to its original site. It noted that about one third of Lebanon's population is Christian. The occurrence coincides with recent developments, as US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia. Despite the ceasefire, Netanyahu has maintained that Israeli forces should remain in a "reinforced security zone" in southern Lebanon.

The military reiterated its ongoing efforts to dismantle Hezbollah's "terrorist infrastructure" in the region, stressing its intention to avoid harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or symbols.