The Israeli military has sentenced two soldiers to prison after one of them was photographed placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon. The image, which circulated widely online, showed a soldier posing with his arm around the statue while holding a cigarette to its mouth.

Following an investigation, the soldier who carried out the act was given 21 days of military prison, while the soldier who filmed the incident received a 14-day sentence. Military officials said the behavior was a serious violation of the standards expected of service members.

The incident is the latest in a series of controversies involving Israeli soldiers and Christian religious symbols in southern Lebanon. In a separate case in late April, two soldiers were disciplined and removed from combat duty after damaging a statue of Jesus Christ. Military officials reiterated that they respect freedom of religion and have no intention of harming religious sites or symbols.