BEIRUT, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Three suitcases are neatly arranged in the corner of a small rented apartment in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon. They hold the few belongings that Nabil Nasrallah and his family have prepared to take if they are forced to flee again.
The first suitcase holds identity cards, medical records, and other essential documents. The second contains dollar savings, family jewelry, and an old phone with key contact numbers. The third is packed with a few days' worth of clothing, water, and snacks, according to Nasrallah.
Displaced from the town of Khiam, the family lives in constant anxiety, keeping essential belongings ready to grab at a moment's notice should the war with Israel escalate.
"We don't want to be caught off guard by something we can't respond to quickly," said Nasrallah's wife, Nadine. "Having the bag ready gives us a sense of preparedness, even if we never have to leave."
Keeping a "ready bag" has become a common practice among households in southern and eastern Lebanon. Rarely spoken of, these bags are nonetheless found in nearly every home.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect in November last year, ending the war with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, Israel has continued to conduct frequent strikes on targets in southern Lebanon, citing "Hezbollah threats." These attacks have heightened anxiety among residents.
"The media talks about the possibility of a broad confrontation, while officials urge calm," said Hassan Diab, from the southern village of Mays El Jabal, clearly puzzled by the conflicting messages.
"On the ground, the military situation is full of worrying signs. The contradiction leaves people unsettled. We live on rumors, conflicting analyses, and breaking news that can flip our day upside down."
Many municipal leaders told Xinhua that families often ask about "emergency plans" or "gathering points" in case the situation escalates. Yet no clear official mechanisms have been announced -- only general instructions to remain calm and follow guidance when issued.
Although no major displacement has occurred so far, some families are already seeking alternative housing in areas further from the tensions -- including Mount Lebanon, the Chouf, Metn, and even northern regions. At the same time, many are coordinating with relatives in distant areas, making informal arrangements to host family members should the situation worsen.
A visit to tension zones still reveals outward normalcy: schools remain open, markets operate, roads carry steady traffic, and farmers tend their fields. Yet beneath the surface, residents oscillate between routine and disruption, between staying and fleeing, between reassurances that all is "under control" and the fear that everything could change in an instant.
"In reality, there's no mass displacement yet and no forced evacuation," said 30-year-old Jalal Hamid, from a village in the Bekaa. "But what we see in the south and east is a quiet, collective preparation for an uncertain confrontation."
"The suitcases, the rented apartments, and the coordination with relatives -- all of this shows how we are living on the edge," said Nadine Abdullah. "We hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst." ■
