Japanese Firm Clarifies Discontinued Radios 10 Year Back Linked To Lebanon Explosions

Japanese company Icom announced on Thursday that it had discontinued production of the IC-V82 radios, which were reportedly used in recent explosions in Lebanon, about a decade ago. The handheld radios were manufactured and exported, including to the Middle East, from 2004 until October 2014, according to a company statement.

Icom clarified that the radios in question have not been shipped from the company since their discontinuation. The batteries required for the devices are no longer produced either. Additionally, the company noted that hologram seals, typically used to distinguish genuine products, were not attached, making it impossible to confirm if the radios in question originated from Icom.

The company emphasized that its export process adheres to Japan’s security trade control regulations, with all overseas sales handled by authorized distributors. Icom also stressed that all radios are manufactured exclusively in its Wakayama Prefecture facility in Japan under strict quality control, and no parts outside company specifications are used.

The clarification comes after a series of explosions in Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon. On Wednesday, 20 people were killed and over 450 injured when walkie-talkies allegedly used by Hezbollah members exploded in Beirut, with similar incidents reported in southern and eastern Lebanon. The blasts followed a separate incident the day before, where hundreds of paging devices used by Hezbollah exploded, killing 12 people and injuring up to 2,800. The unprecedented attacks have been blamed on Israel, though Israel has not commented. The White House urged all parties to avoid further escalation.