Israel's military has said it investigating an Israeli soldier who was photographed smoking and placing another cigarette on the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in occupied southern Lebanon.

The picture was said to have been taken in the Christian village of Debel, where another soldier was photographed last month hitting a statue of Jesus in the face with a sledgehammer.

An Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson said it viewed the incident with "utmost severity" and that the conduct of the soldier "completely deviates from the values expected of its personnel".

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The act was also reportedly condemned by the Roman Catholic Church's representative in the Holy Land.

"This is disrespectful and outrageous behaviour that must stop immediately," the Custodia Terrae Sanctae was quoted as saying by Israel's Haaretz newspaper.

"We call on the Israeli government and the IDF to act and send a clear message that such behaviour is unacceptable, must not happen again, and that the case be handled with the utmost seriousness."

IDF spokesperson Lt Col Nadav Shoshani said the photograph was taken several weeks ago and that "command measures" would be taken against the soldier in accordance with the findings of its investigation.

"The IDF respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities," he added.

Thousands of Israeli troops continue to occupy a wide area of southern Lebanon after a US-brokered ceasefire deal came into force between Israel and Lebanon on 16 April.

The ceasefire has failed to stop the war between Israel and the Shia Muslim armed group Hezbollah, with both sides accusing each other of violations.

Israeli strikes have continued every day in southern Lebanon, with more than 120 people killed in the past week, including civilians, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Hezbollah has meanwhile been attacking Israeli troops in southern Lebanon and also northern Israel with rockets, drones and mortars.

On Wednesday night, an Israeli air strike hit the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut for the first time since the ceasefire began.

The IDF said the attack in Dahieh killed the commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force, Ahmed Ali Balout. There was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah.

At least 2,715 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began on 2 March, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Israeli authorities have said that 17 soldiers and one civilian have been killed in southern Lebanon, along with two civilians in northern Israel.