Pakistan, June 26 -- Israel must withdraw on its own from Lebanon's entire territory or be forced to flee in defeat, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force Esmaeil Qaani said on Thursday, according to state media.

"You are required to evacuate all of Lebanon. Should you fail to retreat on your own accord today, you will inevitably be driven out in humiliation and failure tomorrow," he said.

Earlier, senior Israeli and Lebanese officials denied that there had been any Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern Lebanon, after a US official said Israel had pulled some of its troops back in a good-faith gesture toward Lebanon's government.

Israel and Lebanon have been discussing a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces...