Shi’ite mourners stand in front of a banner with pictures of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem and Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, as they mark Ashura, the holiest day on the Shi’ite Muslim calendar, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, June 26, 2026. — Reuters pic Earn a fixed rate of up to 4.2%* p.a. for 210 days with Versa Save! Plus, enjoy an additional FREE RM10 when you sign up using code VERSAMM10 with a min. cash-in of RM100 today. T&Cs apply. Friday, 26 Jun 2026 6:35 PM MYT BEIRUT, June 26 — Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Friday said Israel has “no option” but to unconditionally withdraw from Lebanese areas it occupies, and he rejected any normalisation in ties between the countries.“Israel has no option but to withdraw completely from every inch of our Lebanese land... Israel must leave unconditionally,” he said in a televised address to tens of thousands of supporters marking Ashura.As Lebanese and Israeli officials hold direct talks in Washington, Qassem said his group would accept “no normalisation, no cancellation of the state of hostility, no gains for Israel, and no partial presence on Lebanese soil... Israel must leave humiliated and defeated, and that is what will happen.” — AFP