Lebanon Foreign Minister Says Nasrallah Agreed to Cease-Fire Before IDF Assassination

Lebanon's foreign minister said in an interview aired Wednesday that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had agreed to a three-week cease-fire proposal led by the U.S. just days before the Israeli military assassinated him with airstrikes on Beirut—an attack that also leveled residential buildings and killed or wounded dozens of civilians.

"He agreed," Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told CNN's Christiane Amanpour of Nasrallah's position on the proposed cease-fire, which was also backed by France, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other nations.

"We agreed completely," Habib continued. "Lebanon agreed to a cease-fire but consulting with Hezbollah. The [Lebanese House] Speaker Mr. Nabih Berri consulted with Hezbollah and we informed the Americans and the French what happened."

Habib said that U.S. officials communicated to Lebanon that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had also agreed to a cease-fire along the Israel-Lebanon border, seemingly setting the stage for a pause after roughly two weeks of devastating Israeli bombings and Hezbollah rocket fire.

But Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, including the country's foreign minister, proceeded to publicly reject the proposed cease-fire, undercutting the Biden administration even as it continued to arm the Israeli military. The 2,000-pound bomb used to kill Nasrallah was reportedly supplied by the United States.

The Israeli strike killed Nasrallah two days after the U.S. and allied nations issued a joint statement calling for "an immediate 21-day cease-fire across the Lebanon-Israel border to provide space for diplomacy."

The Associated Pressreported at the time of the statement's release that "the U.S. officials said Hezbollah would not be a signatory to the new cease-fire proposal but believed the Lebanese government would coordinate its acceptance with the group."

"They said they expected Israel to 'welcome' the proposal," the AP added.

Watch the Lebanese foreign minister's full CNN appearance:

Stop the War, a U.K.-based peace group, called Habib's remarks "proof (if it was needed) that Netanyahu is hell-bent on initiating an all-out war in the Middle East to protect his precarious position and draw the U.S. into fighting alongside Israel."

In the days since assassinating Nasrallah, Israel's military has invaded Lebanon with ground forces and intensified its massively destructive and deadly bombing campaign. On Thursday, CBS Newsreported that "at least seven health and rescue workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Beirut overnight."

"The strike in Beirut's residential Bashoura district hit a multi-story apartment building that houses an office of the Health Society, a group of civilian first responders affiliated with Hezbollah," the outlet added. "It was the second airstrike to hit central Beirut this week, and the second to hit the Health Society in 24 hours. The Associated Press said no Israeli warning was issued to the area before the strike. Residents reported a sulfur-like smell, and Lebanon's state-run National News Agency accused Israel of using phosphorous bombs in the strike, which are prohibited by international law for use near civilian populations."

Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, the CEO of Mercy Corps, said in a statement Wednesday that "the expanded new front of war in Lebanon is already having a catastrophic impact on civilians as tens of thousands of families have been forced to flee their homes over the last week with what little they could carry."

"World leaders should be appalled that we have arrived at this apocalyptic level of chaos, conflict, and misery," said McKenna. "All those with influence and power must take urgent action: to deescalate and halt the unrelenting violence across the region; to do everything possible to achieve an immediate and lasting cease-fire; to release the hostages to their families; to restore life-sustaining services to Gaza; and to facilitate safe, sustained access to aid for millions trapped or on the move. Any hope for peace in the region depends on it."