The municipality of Ain Ebel on Friday dismissed reports that the town had been ordered to evacuate, saying the current measures are strictly precautionary and internal, aimed at keeping residents safe.

Officials clarified that residents were only being asked to move from the northern part of the town to the southern section, and that no one is required to leave Ain Ebel entirely.

In a statement, municipal authorities reaffirmed the community’s strong ties to their land, emphasizing that residents are determined to remain.

Earlier reports from Lebanese media outlet MTV suggested that residents had been issued an evacuation order and that some were being assisted by the Red Cross.

Mayor Ayoub Khreish confirmed that any evacuation instructions applied solely to the northern section of the town, near Bint Jbeil. “We are staying and will not leave,” he said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) later clarified that reports of an agreement to relocate residents from Ain Ebel to Beirut were inaccurate and had no basis in fact.