The radio model that has been linked to recent explosions in Lebanon is thought to have been discontinued by the Japanese company Icom almost ten years ago.
“From 2004 until October 2014, the IC-V82 handheld radio was manufactured and exported, with shipments going to the Middle East.” It hasn’t been sent from our company since it was discontinued over ten years ago, according to a statement from Icom.
“The production of the batteries needed to operate the main unit has also been discontinued, and a hologram seal to distinguish counterfeit products was not attached, so it is not possible to confirm whether the product shipped from our company,” added the statement.
It further stated that its export operation is based on Japanese security trade control requirements and that products for international markets are only offered through its authorized distributors.
“No parts other than those stipulated by our company are used in a product because all of our radios are made at our production subsidiary, Wakayama Icom Inc., in Wakayama Prefecture, under a stringent management system. Furthermore, we don’t outsource the production of our radios—all of them are made at the same facility,” the statement added.
In Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, there were around 450 injuries and 20 fatalities on Wednesday due to the second wave of device explosions in as many days, according to officials.
Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut was the scene of a walkie-talkie explosion, according to a person close to the organization, and similar explosions were reported by state media across south and east Lebanon.
They occurred one day after an unprecedented attack attributed on Israel resulted in the simultaneous detonation of hundreds of Hezbollah-used incendiary devices, killing 12 people—including two children—and injuring up to 2,800 more around Lebanon.
Israel did not respond to the statement. Opponents of “an escalation of any kind” were cautioned by the White House.
