Japanese firm denies responsibility in Lebanon blast, blames counterfeits
Japanese company Icom announced that it had not manufactured the electronic devices that exploded in Lebanon on Wednesday, killing fighters of the terrorist organization Hezbollah, for 10 years. On Wednesday, 20 people were killed and over 450 were injured.
IC-V82 is a portable radio manufactured and exported, including to the Middle East, from 2004 until October 2014. Its production ceased around ten years ago and has not been shipped by our company since then, stated Icom in a communiqué, responding to reports by "The New York Times" and Israeli media about this specific model.
The production of the cells essential for the main device was also halted, and the holographic stamp that allows differentiation from counterfeits has not been identified. Thus, the company informed us that confirming whether our company shipped the product was impossible.
According to them, Icom products intended for foreign markets are sold exclusively through authorized intermediaries and distributors.
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, the statement reads.
On Wednesday, 20 people were killed, and over 450 were injured in explosions of electronic devices used by Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon, stated the country's health ministry. A day earlier, similar pager explosions occurred. The installation of explosive charges is suspected to be the work of Israeli intelligence.
Explosion during funeral
As Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute reported, thousands of phones, laptops, and other electronic devices likely exploded. He posted a video on X showing explosions during the funeral of Hezbollah members who died similarly.
