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<\/a>\n\t\tA Catholic convent near the southern Lebanese village of Yaroun, May 2, 2026. (IDF)<\/p>\n
Sabbagh said they \u201cheard\u201d the convent \u201cwas destroyed with bulldozers.\u201d<\/p>\n
In its own statement, Israel\u2019s Foreign Ministry said, \u201cclaims that a monastery in Yaroun in South Lebanon was \u2018demolished\u2019 are false. The site is intact and safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Catholic Church in Lebanon rejected claims that the compound was used for military purposes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are against all practices against places of worship and churches. These are places to spread peace, love and education,\u201d said Rev. Abdo Abou Kassm, director of the Catholic Center for Information. \u201cThese are not military bases.\u201d<\/p>\n
The incident came just two weeks after a soldier smashed<\/a> a statue of Jesus in the village of Debel, drawing widespread international condemnation.<\/p>\n The soldier who smashed the statue, along with another soldier who photographed the act, was dismissed from combat duty and sentenced to 30 days in military jail.<\/p>\n The crucifix was replaced by a new statue donated by soldiers of UNIFIL\u2019s Italian contingent. The Israeli military also delivered a replacement statue following the incident, although it was smaller and styled differently from the original.<\/p>\n Lebanese media published photos showing that the statue donated by the UN peacekeepers more closely resembles the original statue.<\/p>\n \t The statue delivered by the IDF was also seen in photos being carried by members of the community, apparently being moved elsewhere.<\/p>\n Hezbollah began attacking Israel on March 2, shortly after the beginning of the US-Israeli war with Iran. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes and by expanding its troops\u2019 presence deeper into Lebanon.<\/p>\n The conflict entered a temporary ceasefire on April 17.<\/p>\n The ceasefire has now significantly eroded, though fighting remains at a lower level than before the truce was announced in mid-April, and the IDF has continued to limit the areas in which it carries out strikes.<\/p>\n Agencies contributed to this report.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tSoldiers of UNIFIL\u2019s Italian contingent and members of the Christian community of Debel in southern Lebanon stand by a newly erected statue of Jesus in the village, April 22, 2026. (Via Debel Alerts on Facebook)<\/p>\n
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