Hezbollah walkie talkie explosion: Japanese firm says it discontinued making devices in 2014

The Japanese companies named as the manufacturer of exploding walkie-talkies used by Lebanon-based Hezbollah has said the devices were discontinued in 2014.

A day after pagers used by Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah exploded simultaneously across Lebanon, walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah terrorists exploded in a similar manner on Wednesday . Lebanese officials have said at least 20 people were killed and 450 were wounded in the attacks. Hezbollah blamed Israel for both the blasts, but Israel has not commented on the matter so far.

Following the explosions, The New York Times reported that that photographs and videos showed the devices as the ‘IC-V82’ walkie-talkies made by Japanese company Icom. Now, the company has said the devices were discontinued in 2014.

More from World

Nepal's new PM pays homage to people died during the Gen Z protest in her first national address This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

In a statement carried by AFP, Icom said the IC-V82 model of walkie-talkies was manufactured and exported, including to the Middle East, during 2014-14, but was discontinued in 2014 and no shipment of the model has been shipped since then.

The Icon further said, “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.”

The Icom further said that all overseas sales are exclusively through authorised distributors and exports are based on Japanese security trade regulations.

The statement further said, “All of our radios are manufactured at our production subsidiary, Wakayama Icom Inc., in Wakayama Prefecture, under a strict management system… so no parts other than those specified by our company are used in a product. In addition, all of our radios are manufactured at the same factory, and we do not manufacture them overseas.”

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

Following two waves of strikes that together killed more than 30 and injured over 3,200, The Times reported that Israel carried out both the operations.

Regarding the pager explosions, the newspaper Israel inserted explosives into the pagers made by Taiwanese company Gold Appolo before they reached Lebanon. The company refused making the devices . Two officials told the paper that explosive material was implanted next to the battery and a switch was also embedded that could be remotely triggered to detonate the explosives.

As for the walkie-talkie explosions, Axios reported that Israel had rigged the devices before they were delivered to Hezbollah. The terrorist group was supposed to use these walkie-talkies as an emergency communication system in case of a war with Israel.

The report further said that both the attacks were part of a single Israeli intelligence operation against Hezbollah .

Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and triggered the war in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah has clashed with Israel on a nearly-daily basis. Several thousands of Israel in the country’s north along the Lebanese border have been displaced from frequent Hezbollah attacks. In recent days, as fighting has slowed in Gaza and peace talks have stalled over Israeli demands, the focus has shifted to the country’s north where a full-scale war with Hezbollah appears to be highly probable.