On the CR transversality of holomorphic maps into hyperquadrics

Let $M_\ell$ be a smooth Levi-nondegenerate hypersurface of signature $\ell$ in $\mathbf C^n$ with $n\ge 3$, and write $H_\ell^N$ for the standard hyperquadric of the same signature in $\mathbf C^N$ with $N-n< \frac{n-1}{2}$. Let $F$ be a holomorphic map sending $M_\ell$ into $H_\ell^N$. Assume $F$ does not send a neighborhood of $M_\ell$ in $\mathbf C^n$ into $H_\ell^N$. We show that $F$ is necessarily CR transversal to $M_\ell$ at any point. Equivalently, we show that $F$ is a local CR embedding from $M_\ell$ into $H_\ell^N$.