A photo showing an Israeli soldier breaking a statue of Jesus in southern Lebanon has gone viral and has been widely shared on social media.

On Sunday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the authenticity of the respective photo and announced the launch of an internal investigation. It stressed that the aforesaid soldier's conduct is “wholly inconsistent” with the values adopted by the IDF.

“The incident is being investigated by the Northern Command and is currently being addressed through the chain of command. Appropriate measures will be taken against those involved in accordance with the findings,” the IDF added.

Furthermore, the IDF stated that it is working to assist the local community in restoring the statue to its place.