The Israeli military has said it will investigate an incident in which a soldier was seen placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon.

An image circulating on social media on Wednesday showed an Israeli soldier with his arm around the religious statue while holding a cigarette to its mouth, sparking widespread condemnation online.

In a statement on Thursday, the Israeli army said it “views the incident with utmost severity,” adding that the behaviour “completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel.”

The military said the incident would be formally investigated and disciplinary measures taken based on the outcome.

It also noted that preliminary findings suggest the photograph was taken several weeks earlier.

The episode is the latest in a series of controversies involving Israeli soldiers and religious symbols in southern Lebanon. In late April, two soldiers were punished after a video showed the destruction of a statue of Jesus Christ in the village of Debl, where a soldier was seen striking the statue with a sledgehammer.

The Israeli military reiterated that it “respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities,” adding that it has no intention of targeting civilian infrastructure, including religious sites.