Israel, Lebanon deny that Israel has withdrawn from part of southern Lebanon

BEIRUT, June 25 (Reuters) - Senior Israeli and Lebanese officials denied on Thursday that there had been any Israeli withdrawal from occupied southern Lebanon, after a U.S. 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 U.S.-backed proposal for Israeli forces to transfer some of the Lebanese territory invaded in their war with Hezbollah to Lebanon's military, in a possible step toward restoring Lebanese control of occupied territory.