Lebanon's communications ministry has revealed that the walkie-talkie devices that exploded on Wednesday were a discontinued model manufactured by the Japanese company ICOM. The ministry stated that the IC-V82 radios were not provided by an authorized agent, did not possess official licensing, and had not undergone security service approval.
ICOM has yet to issue a response to the incident. However, their website indicates that the IC-V82 model has been discontinued, with the majority of current units in circulation being counterfeit.
Images circulating on social media purportedly displaying some of the exploded devices exhibit markings consistent with the IC-V82 model. This revelation raises concerns about the proliferation of unauthorized and potentially unsafe communication devices in the region.
