FACTBOX – Israeli attacks kill priest, damage 7 churches, Jesus statue in Lebanon

Christian holy sites in Lebanon have not been spared from Israeli attacks during Tel Aviv’s military campaigns since October 2023, resulting in the death of a priest and the destruction of seven churches and a statue of Jesus Christ.

The Israeli army pounded Lebanon with airstrikes and artillery shelling in October 2023 before a ceasefire was reached in November 2024. Israel started another offensive on March 2 before a 10-day ceasefire was announced last week, despite ongoing violations by Tel Aviv.

During the assaults, Israeli strikes hit churches and Christian landmarks, including a recent incident in which an Israeli soldier was filmed smashing a statue of Jesus in the southern town of Dibel, sparking a global wave of condemnation.

The following are the main churches and Christian symbols hit by Israeli attacks during the two waves of attacks:

First Israeli offensive

Direct and indirect Israeli strikes during this wave of attacks caused severe damage to Christian religious infrastructure, most of it in southern Lebanon and in areas bordering Beirut’s southern suburbs.

• St. George Catholic Church in Derdghaya was hit in an Israeli airstrike in October 2024, causing major damage.
• St. George Church in Yaroun was struck by Israeli artillery fire in November 2023, causing heavy damage.

The Israeli violations did not stop at the church building, but also included the destruction and bulldozing of a shrine and statue of St. George in the same town.

• Saint John the Baptist Church in Sarda was left damaged and devastated after the Israeli military blew up several homes in the town.
• Saint Mamas Monastery for the Greek Orthodox was shown in a video in November 2024 with Israeli soldiers from the Golani Brigade inside the Orthodox church, mocking religious symbols and laughing.
• St. Elias Church in Alma al-Shaab sustained cumulative damage after repeated heavy artillery and rocket attacks, which shattered stained glass, caused parts of the roof to collapse and cracked the walls.
• Our Lady Assumption Greek Catholic Church in the Christian quarter of Nabatieh suffered material damage during heavy Israeli airstrikes in November 2024.
• Our Lady of Salvation Church in Hadath, an area bordering Beirut’s southern suburbs, was destroyed after an Israeli airstrike targeted a nearby building that same month.

Second Israeli offensive

When Israeli attacks resumed in 2026, strikes continued to hit both people and religious symbols directly:

• Father Pierre al-Rahi, the parish priest of St. George Church, was killed in March in Israeli attacks on the town of Qlayaa.
• An Israeli soldier smashed a statue of Jesus in the town of Debel. The Israeli army claimed it viewed the incident with the utmost severity and said the soldier’s conduct completely contradicts the values of its soldiers.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported Monday that the soldier who smashed the Jesus statue would not face a criminal investigation and would be subject only to disciplinary action.

Catholic church leaders in Jerusalem condemned the incident in a statement on Monday, calling it a grave violation of religious symbols and human dignity and demanding accountability for those responsible.

Israel has carried out a military offensive in Lebanon since March 2, killing 2,294 people, injuring 7,544 and displacing more than 1 million, according to official figures.

A 10-day ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump in Lebanon as of midnight Friday.

*Writing by Lina Altawell