Tokyo, Japan: Japanese company Icom announced on Thursday that it discontinued production of the IC-V82 handheld radios reportedly used in recent blasts in Lebanon about ten years ago.
The company stated that production of the model, exported to the Middle East between 2004 and 2014, ceased in October 2014. Additionally, the batteries needed to operate the radios are no longer manufactured.
Icom emphasized that all its products are sold through authorized distributors and comply with Japan’s security trade control regulations. The company could not confirm if the radios involved in the Lebanon blasts were counterfeit, as they lacked hologram seals that distinguish genuine products.
This announcement follows two waves of device explosions in Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon, killing 32 people and injuring thousands. The blasts, involving walkie-talkies and paging devices, have been blamed on Israel, though no official comment has been made. The White House has urged restraint to avoid escalation.
