There has been widespread condemnation after an image of an Israeli soldier apparently hitting a statue of Jesus Christ with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon went viral.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “stunned and saddened”. Its Foreign Minister Israel Katz said: “We apologise for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt.”

Locals say the statue was on a crucifix outside a family home on the edge of Debel, one of the few villages where residents have remained during Israel’s war with Hezbollah.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it viewed the incident “with great severity and emphasises that the soldier’s conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops”.

The head of Debel’s congregation, Father Fadi Flaifel, told the BBC: “We totally reject the desecration of the cross, our sacred symbol, and all religious symbols. It goes against the declaration of human rights, and it doesn’t reflect civility.” He claimed similar acts had happened before.

The IDF said “appropriate measures will be taken against those involved” and that it was working with the Christian community to “restore the statue to its place”.

The US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister, said on X that “swift, severe and public consequences are needed”.

• A Reuters report