IDF admits damaging Catholic convent in southern Lebanon, denies site demolished

Army says Hezbollah fired rockets from compound ‘multiple times’ during war, publishes photo of intact building; Catholic Church in Lebanon denies compound was used by terror group

The Israeli military on Saturday acknowledged it caused some damage to a Catholic convent in southern Lebanon while working to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure, but denied it “demolished” the site with bulldozers.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, during operations in the border village of Yaroun, forces caused damage to a structure that “had no external signs indicating it was a religious building.”

“After identifying religious indicators in the complex, the forces acted to prevent further damage,” the military said, publishing photos showing the intact structure.

The IDF said Hezbollah had used the compound to launch rockets “multiple times” during the war, “which is why the forces operated there, with the aim of destroying the organization’s terror infrastructure.”

“The IDF takes care to destroy only terror infrastructure and has no intention of harming religious buildings,” the military added.

Gladys Sabbagh, the superior general of the Basilian Salvatorian Sisters, told the Associated Press that the convent was a small compound housing just two nuns, who left because of the war. It had previously included a school and a clinic.

Sabbagh said they “heard” the convent “was destroyed with bulldozers.”

In its own statement, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said, “claims that a monastery in Yaroun in South Lebanon was ‘demolished’ are false. The site is intact and safe.”

The Catholic Church in Lebanon rejected claims that the compound was used for military purposes.

“We are against all practices against places of worship and churches. These are places to spread peace, love and education,” said Rev. Abdo Abou Kassm, director of the Catholic Center for Information. “These are not military bases.”

The incident came just two weeks after a soldier smashed a statue of Jesus in the village of Debel, drawing widespread international condemnation.

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.

The crucifix was replaced by a new statue donated by soldiers of UNIFIL’s Italian contingent. The Israeli military also delivered a replacement statue following the incident, although it was smaller and styled differently from the original.

Lebanese media published photos showing that the statue donated by the UN peacekeepers more closely resembles the original statue.

The statue delivered by the IDF was also seen in photos being carried by members of the community, apparently being moved elsewhere.

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’ presence deeper into Lebanon.

The conflict entered a temporary ceasefire on April 17.

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.

Agencies contributed to this report.